Spiced Apple Cake

Name: Spiced Apple Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more, room temperature, for brushing; 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt; 0.5 teaspoon baking soda; 0.5 teaspoon ground allspice; 0.25 teaspoon ground ginger; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 1.5 cups sugar; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 0.5 cup sour cream; 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut crosswise into scant ¼-inch rounds, seeds removed; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 0.333 cup apricot jam

By

Martha Stewart Editors

Updated on July 31, 2020

Prep Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

1 hrs 15 mins

Servings:

12

This cake also makes a lovely addition to a breakfast or brunch table. Try it with a dollop of sour cream on top.

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more, room temperature, for brushing
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut crosswise into scant ¼-inch rounds, seeds removed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup apricot jam

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 9-by-3-inch baking dish with butter. Line bottom and 2 long sides with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang; butter parchment.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, allspice, and ginger. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until pale and foamy. Whisk in sugar and vanilla until combined. Add half of flour mixture, then half of butter and sour cream, whisking just until combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture, butter, and sour cream (do not overmix). Transfer batter to prepared baking dish, smoothing top with a spatula.
Toss apples with lemon juice and scatter evenly over batter. Bake until apples are tender and golden brown in places and a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out with moist crumbs, 40 to 45 minutes. Warm jam in a small saucepan over medium until it becomes thin and brushable. Immediately brush apples with jam. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Lift cake from pan using parchment and transfer to a board to slice; serve.