The following is an excerpt from Tracey Zabar’s “Sweet Little Cakes from Mrs. Zabar’s Bakeshop: Perfect Desserts for Sharing,” available now on Amazon.
This is an updated old-lady recipe, made by many a grandma. It is a perfect dessert for fall when apples are at their prime. Long ago, a relative served a similar cake, and I begged for the recipe. She never shared it, and I later found out the cake came from her local bakery — not her kitchen.
Apple Cake
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter one 5-inch well of a Bundt quartet pan, and set aside.
In a medium bowl, toss the apple cubes with the ½ teaspoon granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and cinnamon and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, the remaining 2/3 cup granulated sugar, and salt. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to incorporate. Add the flour and baking powder, and mix just until combined. With a silicone spatula, fold in the nuts, and then scrape half the batter into the prepared pan.
Add the apple-sugar mixture on top of the batter, being careful not to let the mixture touch the center tube or edges. Add the remaining batter, and gently smooth the top with a silicone spatula.
Bake until browned and set, about 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove the cake from the hot pan and cool it completely on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, and top with dried apple slices.