Make a stunning apple cake for the Christmas season
This is the season for crackling leaves and football games. Nippy evenings and early sunsets. Cups of steaming hot cocoa. And glorious desserts like the one below.
This buttery cake is topped with overlapping apple slices before baking. Out of the oven, it’s brushed with a pomegranate-jelly glaze then served with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds.
Apple Cake with Pomegranates
Serves 8 sugar, divided use
1 teaspoon finely minced lemon or orange zest
2 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons milk 3 Granny Smith apples 2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup currant strawberry jelly
jelly
or
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice Pomegranate seeds Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream for serving with the metal blade or in the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, 3/4 cup sugar and zest; process until blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating between additions.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and beat until blended, stopping to scrape down sides if needed. Add milk and beat until smooth.
Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth out top.
Peel, core and thinly slice apples and arrange slices atop batter in pan, overlapping slices in concentric circles, starting at outside edge. Brush top with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar on top. If you prefer a sweeter dessert, you can add 1 additional tablespoon of sugar.
Place springform pan on rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake an additional 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and apples are golden. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.
Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake, then carefully remove rim from springform pan.
In a small saucepan, combine jelly and pomegranate juice. Place over high heat and stir until melted. Brush the mixture on top and sides of cake. Cool.
Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top of cake. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature accompanied by ice cream or whipped cream.