French Apple Cake
I love a cake that can get dressed up for a fancy party and be a welcome guest, but feels just as at home on the breakfast table. I think maybe that would describe my personality in a nutshell so it makes sense that I’d want a cake to match. This humble little number is warm and comforting, but is elegant (and delicious) enough to be served at a family gathering to everyone’s delight. The apples placed on top add a visual element that removes the need for fancy frosting and adornment. Let’s just hope there are leftovers for breakfast.
Ingredients:
1 cup flour (I typically use all-purpose einkorn)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar (you can use cane sugar or coconut sugar for a less sweet, slightly more rustic cake)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 small tart apples, thinly sliced in cresent shapes
Cinnamon Whipped Cream:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
about 2 tablespoons sugar (depending on how sweet you’d like!)
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 inch round pie dish or cake pan. In a small bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large bowl, beat together the softened butter and the sugar until lighter and slightly fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue beating. You can do all of this by hand with a strong whisk or you can use electric beaters or a stand mixer. Add the sifted flour mixture and mix together until just combined. Pour the batter (it will be quite thick) into the buttered pan and arrange the thinly sliced apples however meticulously (or rustically) as you’d like! Pop the pan in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes. You should be able to insert a toothpick in the middle without having batter stuck to it when it’s done. While it cools slightly, whip up the cream with the cinnamon and sugar. Again, you can do this with a whisk and a (few!) strong arms, but you can also use an electric mixer. Just add the ingredients to the bowl and mix until fluffy (about 5 min). Be careful not to over whip the cream or you’ll get grainy cream close to turning into butter! Serve and enjoy.
