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Besides having to reluctantly wear socks again or risk potential frostbite, fall brings all kinds of good things. It’s time for sweaters and boots and crisp, autumn colours and visits to the apple orchard. My local orchard doesn’t boast pony rides or corn mazes; there’s no posing behind farmer cut-outs. It’s an old-school orchard where you pull a makeshift cart past branches so heavy with fruit even the smallest member of your family can reach the apples.
Bet you didn't know this type of apple doesn't brown as quickly as the rest!
Fall is one of my favourite seasons, in large part because of all the delicious things we can cook up: apple jam, apple pie, apple cake, apple chips, apple and pork chops, everything apple.
This cake is adapted from a recipe my mother developed and published in a 1970s Tupperware cookbook — remember those? — from France. It’s a simple cake and one of my favourite family desserts.
Ingredients:
1 14-gram package of yeast*
* If you prefer a traditional, fluffier cake, substitute ¾ teaspoon baking soda and ¾ teaspoon baking powder for the yeast. It will be equally delicious.
Butter a 23 cm spring form pan and preheat oven to 375F.
Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Lightly score the outer side of the apple quarters and set aside.
Combine the flour, sugar, milk, grape seed oil, eggs, sea salt, and yeast. Mix well using a fork until the batter is smooth.
Scoop the batter into the pan and spread evenly.
Press the apples — with scored sides facing up — halfway into the batter. Bake for 25 minutes.
With 5 minutes left in the baking time, prepare the butter caramel topping.
Ingredients For Butter Caramel Topping
1 egg
Melt the butter slowly over low heat without boiling. Add the sugar and stir slowly.
Once the sugar and butter are completely melted, add the vanilla and combine well.
Quickly stir in the egg and pour the mixture over the partially-baked cake.
Bake another 23-25 minutes so that the butter caramel sets.
Allow cake to cool and serve with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Bon appétit!