Cranberry Apple Cake

Yes, another apple cake. It feels like a dress rehearsal for Thanksgiving, but I made it for a friend who needed cheering up. This cake is jam packed with apples and a sprinkling of cranberries. A dusting of confectioner’s sugar should make it just about perfect, but if you happen to have some vanilla ice cream in the freezer – everything’s better with ice cream!

• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 large apples ( You can mix them up – I used Granny Smiths.)
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350º, place rack is in the center of the oven. Grease a 9″ springform pan and put it on a baking sheet.

2. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together. In another small bowl, melt the butter and set aside to cool.

3. Peel and core the apples, cut into 1 inch chunks. Measure 1 cup of cranberries, rinse in cold water, and set aside.

4. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, add the sugar and vanilla. Whisk in half of the flour mixture, then half of the melted butter. Repeat with the remaining flour and butter.

5. Stir in the apples and cranberries, and pour into the springform pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

6. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, testing with a toothpick for doneness. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, and run a knife around the perimeter of the pan to make sure the cake didn’t stick to the pan, then unhinge the sides.

(Adapted from David Lebowitz’s French Apple Cake.)