Jane’s Sweets & Baking Journal -- janessweets.blogspot.com -- September 10, 2011

(This recipe was adapted from the book, Perfect Cakes, by Nick Malgieri; HarperCollins, 2002; see pages 66-67, “Apple Rum Cake.”)

Fresh Apple Cake with Boiled Cider Glaze

Yield:  One 9" cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan, line the bottom of the pan with a 9" parchment paper circle, then butter the parchment with unsalted butter.

Ingredients for the cake:

2 large tart apples (I used Granny Smiths), peeled, cored, halved, and sliced into pieces 1/8" thick

3 Tbsp. boiled apple cider (You can buy it bottled, or use homemade; I got mine here)

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used unbleached)

2 tsp. baking powder

Scant 3/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 scant pinch ground cinnamon

1 scant pinch ground nutmeg

12 Tbsp. (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at soft room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs, large, at cool room temperature

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbsp. milk

Ingredients for the glaze:

1 to 1-and-¼ cups confectioners' sugar

2 to 4 Tbsp. boiled cider (adjust depending on how thick or thin you prefer your glaze to be)

* * * * *

Mix the sliced apples and the 3 Tbsp. of boiled cider together in a bowl. Set aside; periodically stir to remoisten the apples.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In the large bowl of your mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy and light (approximately five minutes or less). One at a time, thoroughly beat in the eggs, still on medium speed. Add in the vanilla.

Take the bowl off the mixer. Using a rubber spatula, fold in half the flour mixture.

Set a colander over an empty bowl and dump the apples along with their liquid into it. Let them drain for a minute.

Add the milk into the cider drippings, then pour this liquid into the cake batter and stir it in.

Fold the remaining half of the flour mixture into the batter.

Evenly spread half of the batter into the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Use a small offset spatula (ideally), or the back of a spoon, to spread it out.

Scatter all of the apples over the top of the batter (they do not need to be neatly arranged); try to leave just a narrow margin of uncovered batter close to the sides of the pan.

Plop the remaining batter over that and spread it out smoothly.

Bake the cake on the middle rack of your oven for approximately 55 to 60 minutes, or until the cake feels  firm, is golden brown, and apples seem tender. Test it with a toothpick if you like.

Cool the cake in its pan, set on a rack, for 15 minutes before attempting to remove the sides of the pan.

Run a thin metal spatula or knife around the edge before removing the sides. Then, invert the cake quickly and carefully onto a flat plate; lift off the bottom of the pan, peel off the parchment circle if it's stuck to the cake, then quickly re-invert the cake back onto the cooling rack. Let the unpanned cake cool fully on the rack.

To make the glaze:

With the confectioners' sugar in a medium-small bowl, begin adding in the boiled cider one tablespoon at a time, adding in more and stirring continually by hand until all lumps are gone and the glaze is as thick or thin as you prefer. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, or serve it warm, drizzled over individual slices.