Sunrise Walks & French Apple Cake

A few glimpses of home on the island lately. We've been waking up before sunrise to walk our favorite beach on the North Shore. Even as an early riser, I have wanted to spend just that little bit longer in bed, but alas, the cheery birds have a tight schedule, naturally. Nevertheless, the soft golden rays with fresh salty ocean spray on your face wash away any lingering sleepiness. And what's more lovely is that it's typically quiet at the beach, with just a few fellow dog walkers and swimmers. It is so peaceful and calming that I must remind myself how fortunate I am — especially that my barefoot feet will be in thick woolen socks and boots, trekking through powdery snow in a few months' time. 

I have been baking quite a lot lately, most likely due to my internal clock that cooler days are on the way. I don't particularly enjoy overly sweet, cloying desserts, so this cake is just right with a cup of tea. Apples are one of my favorite fruits to bake with because, well, they are so versatile and hearty. They keep for months when stored properly; even the bruised and "uglier" looking ones have use. What I particularly love about this cake is that it can be whipped up in minutes and still looks elegant. Calvados enhances the natural sweetness of the apples with an added depth of flavor. You can completely omit it if you like and use cider. I hope you enjoy it!

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French Apple Calvados Cake 

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger (or fresh if you have it)

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

pinch of ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Braeburn, or Cortland apples, peeled

1/2 cup light brown sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened

3 eggs, room temperature

Between 2 tablespoons - 1/4 cup of calvados or spiced rum (you can decide on the amount — I opt for 3 TB. Use cider for a non-alcoholic version)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large Honeycrisp, Jonagold, or Cortland apples, peeled

powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line an 8" round cake tin with parchment paper.  

Sift the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. 

Core and dice one apple into 1/2' "chunks. Cut the second apple into moon-shaped slivers, about 1/8" thin. 

In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or you can do this by hand as I did, (it's your preference - I didn't feel like lugging out my mixer), cream together the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy.

Crack in the eggs, whisking well after each addition. It should be foamy, airy and light. 

Pour in the calvados or rum and vanilla extract; give it another whisk.

Gently fold the dry ingredients and the diced apples into the egg mixture, mixing it just until no streaks of flour remain. Don't over-mix!

Pour the batter into the cake tin and arrange the thin apple slices on top of the cake in a fan-like fashion or however you find pretty. 

Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Allow it to cool in the cake tin for 5 minutes before removing it to your serving plate. Once completely cooled, dust a fine layer of powdered sugar on top and serve. It would be delicious to pair with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream too!