All-American Apple Cake Recipe

Independence Day here in the United States is July 4th. Because this holiday is “as American as apple pie,”
what could be better on a day to celebrate our love for our country than a picnic-ready apple cake? This version has a
buttery crumb topped with tender apples enhanced with a custardy flourish. 

Bake it early in the day and serve it warm as a coffee cake with breakfast or let it cool
and take it to a late-in-the-day America’s birthday potluck party as a dessert. Either way, it needs no extra adornment,
although a scoop of homemade ice cream would go well on the side! 

5 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup sugar*
2 eggs
1½ cups all-purpose unbleached flour
2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder*
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk OR ½ cup milk and ½ cup heavy cream
2 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin
1 teaspoon cinnamon 

Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Butter a 9″ x 9″ or 8″ x 8″ square baking pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter. Beat in the sugar and 1 egg. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix well.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with ½ cup of milk.

When the mixture is uniform, turn into the prepared baking pan and spread evening. Arrange the apple slices neatly on top of the dough, overlapping slightly. Press them down a little. Sprinkle the apple slices with the cinnamon. Beat the second egg with ½ cup cream or milk and pour this evenly over the apples.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

*If you wish, for a no-sugar-added version, replace the sugar with 1 cup of Splenda® sugar substitute. Increase the amount of baking powder to 1 tablespoon.