Ingredients
Scale
For the cake
- 90 g or ¾ c all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 454 g or 1 lb apples, peeled and chopped into 1“ pieces (about four large apples)*
- 2 large eggs
- 150 g or ¾ c granulated sugar
- 45 ml or 3 tbsp cognac or calvados
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 127 g or 4 oz unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Instructions
Make the cake
- Have all ingredients at room temperature.
- Centre a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper—you’ll need to put the springform pan on it to prevent any liquids from leaking to the bottom of your oven.
- Butter and flour an 8″ springform pan, or if using a good-quality baking spray, apply just before filling the pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until foamy. Add the sugar and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the brandy and vanilla. Mix in half of the flour mixture; when it’s incorporated, add half of the melted butter, followed by the remaining flour mixture and butter. Mix the additions so you have a smooth, thick batter.
- Fold in the apples with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and even the top with an offset spatula. Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean (50–60 minutes).
- Transfer to a rack and let cool (5 minutes) before running a knife around the edges of the cake and removing the outside of the springform pan. Cool the cake until it is slightly warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- For best results, use a combination of apples with different textures and sweetness, such as Gala, Honeycrisp, MacIntosh and Granny Smith.
- Storage: The cake is exceptionally moist, so when storing it, press a piece of clingfilm to any cut sides of the cake. Don’t cover it or put it in a cake tin.
- Adapted from Around My French Table by Dorrie Greenspan.