Spiced Apple and Sour Cream Cake

Tonight I've been baking all night, preparing sweet goodies for Rosh Hashanah.

My first baked good of the evening was a Spice Apple and Sour Cream Cake from my new dessert cook book, The Sweet Life: Desserts From Chanterelle by Kate Zuckerman, which I wrote about a couple of days ago. This book is filled with brilliant and inspiring recipes; I've already prepped to make macaroons and plan on having Port Plum Ice Cream with Almond Cake on Saturday.

I'm not sure how long they will have it, but right now Strand is selling this cookbook for $12.95! I highly suggest that if you like to bake, make sweets or ice cream you get yourself down to the Strand and pick up a copy. And if you don't live in town you should order it.

I've made a ton of apple cakes in my days, but none as elegant or sophisticated as this one.
It is redolent with spices, moist with local apples and sour cream and topped with a crunchy Turbinado sugar crust.

I'm going to use one of Kate's suggestions and serve my Spiced Apple and Sour Cream Cake with Rum Caramel Sauce and whipped cream.

Here is my slightly adapted version of her recipe. I don't normally like to print other peoples recipes, but I can't help but share this. Having said that, I really encourage you to go buy her book.

Spiced Apple and Sour Cream Cake

Preheat your oven to 350 F.

Butter an 8" spring form pan.

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan heat 2 Tablespoons of butter. When it is bubbling add 1 pound of prepped and finely diced apples, cook for 1 or 2 minutes over medium heat, then add 2 Tablespoons of sugar, cooking over medium/low heat for about 8 minutes until the apples are soft and all the liquid has been absorbed. If there is any excess liquid drain it off and do not use it.
While the apples are cooking you make a batter: in a mixing bowl add 1 3/4 cups of AP flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder and 3/4 teaspoons of baking soda, whisk together and place aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream with the paddle attachment 12 tablespoons of unsalted butter, add 1 cup of brown sugar, beating until fluffy (3 or 4 minutes). One at a time add 4 egg yolks, turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl often during this process. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until just blended, then add 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of sour cream. Mixing until it is just incorporated, add the rest of the flour mixture and mix for another minute.
Add the cooled apple mixture to the batter, stir until just mixed and place in the prepared pan.
Cover the batter with 1/4 cup of Turbinado sugar and bake for 60-70 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Next up Candied Ginger and Apple Pound Cake.