Apple Cinnamon Everyday Cake

By Rebecca Firth

Lucky for us, apples can be found almost any day of the year, making this the perfect everyday snack when I have an apple cake craving. This was created in the spirit of Marian Burros’s plum torte; I love it effortlessness, and I wanted this to have the same vibe. Nine ingredients, one bowl, mixed and out of the oven in about an hour—there is so much to love about this cake. The tender moist crumb, the loads of apple flavor, warm spices and the toasty crunch of the spiced sugar and almond crust. This is the one I want you to drop everything for and bake right now!

Makes 6 to 8 servings

For the Cake

1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup (149 grams) good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon (4 grams) almond extract
1½ teaspoons (8 grams) baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon (6 grams) sea salt
1 2/3 cups (225 grams) all-purpose flour

To Garnish

2 medium apples, cored and cut into thin slices (about 388 g)
¼ cup (28 grams) sliced almonds
1 tablespoon (14 grams) fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons (36 grams) granulated sugar

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Grease a 9-inch (23-cm)round cake pan and line with parchment paper, greasing the parchment paper as well.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until thick and frothy, about2 minutes. Add in the olive oil, almond extract, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk for 1 minute more. Add in the flour and mix until just combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Starting on the outside of the pan, lay the apple slices one next to the other, slightly overlapping, and work your way to the middle. Sprinkle the almond slices evenly over the top, drizzle the lemon juice and then sprinkle the cinnamon (do this from up high, pinching come between your thumb and index finger). If you find dusting the cake in cinnamon challenging, consider combining it with the sugar first and thensprinkling over the top. Finally, dust the top with sugar and bake in the center of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until it’s puffed, lightly bronzed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with some crumbs but no wet batter. Let cool on a rack for 20 minutes before taking out of the pan to finish cooling on a rack. Serve at room temperature.

Notes: This is also delicious (and pretty) when dusted with confectioners’ sugar. It also pairs very well with some good-quality vanilla bean ice cream. Instead of apple, feel free to swap in peaches,plums, pears or berries.

Reprinted with permission from The Cake Book: Beautiful Sweet Treats for Every Craving by Rebecca Firth, Page Street Publishing Co. 2021.