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Rustic Italian Apple Cake

This is a very simple cake that isn't too sweet. It's excellent for dessert, in the afternoon with a cup of tea, or even for brunch. The cake is made in a 9-inch spring form pan. You can also use a 10-inch pan if you increase recipe by 50 percent and expect it will take a bit longer to cook. Serve it plain or with freshly whipped cream or lightly sweetened Greek Yogurt.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 8 to 10 servings
Calories 284 kcal
Author Katie Morford

Ingredients

  • Butter and flour for dusting the pan
  • 3 Granny Smith apples
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or canola oil)
  • 2 tablespoons Sambuca (see Notes)
  • 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
  • Confectioners' sugar to finish; whipped cream or Greek yogurt for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Coat a 9-inch spring form pan generously with butter. Lightly dust with flour. 

  3. Peel and core the apples. Slice into ¼-inch-thick wedges. Set aside.
  4. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Add the oil and whisk together until one even consistency. Add the Sambuca, flour, sugar, and baking powder, and whisk until smooth.

  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Set the apples in the batter in a circle around the edge of the pan, overlapping slightly. Gently press the apples into the batter. Lay an inside circle of apples into the batter as you did the first.
  6. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.
  7. Let cool for at least 30 minutes. 

  8. Remove the outside of the spring form pan. Lightly dust the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar, if desired.  Serve in wedges with whipped cream or Greek yogurt. 

Recipe Notes

Sambuca is an Italian liqueur that adds a wonderful anise flavor to this cake, so it's worth seeking out. If you don't have it, substitute 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. It lends a pleasant, albeit different, sort of flavor.