Tried and True - Ligita's Quick Apple Cake
This post has been updated to include revised ingredient quantities and weight equivalents. (8/2/2024)
One of my favorite dessert cookbooks is Classic Home Desserts: A Treasury of Heirloom and Contemporary Recipes from the late Richard Sax. I love this cookbook not only because the recipes are delicious, but also because it reads a bit like a diary. It's as if you're Mr. Sax' best friend and you're privy to all his wondrous and sometimes, a bit gossipy tales, about friends, famous chefs and what not.
One of my favorite recipes from this book is Ligita's Quick Apple Cake of which Mr. Sax writes, "Stick a bookmark right here, and leave it in." He describes it as "Sort of a 'quick apple pie without the crust'...."
It is so easy to make and super yummy. As I am wont to do, I've upped the amount of apples from 3 cups to 5 cups. I also like to sprinkle the top of the cake with sanding sugar before baking for a little sparkle and crunch.
Ligita's Quick Apple Cake
adapted from Classic Home Desserts by Richard Sax
Makes one 10-inch single-layer cake, serves 8
Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
Toss together and spread evenly in 10-inch Pyrex pie pan:
5 cups peeled, cored, thinly sliced apples (550g or about 5 medium sized apples, any variety or a mix)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
In a medium size saucepan over medium heat, melt and cook until lightly golden:
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Remove from heat, let cool a bit and then stir in:
3/4 cup sugar (175g)
Gently stir in:
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Finally, whisk and then stir in until blended:
1 cup all-purpose flour (130g)
Pour batter over the apples and spread evenly. Sprinkle with:
2 tablespoons sanding sugar
Bake until lightly golden and crusty, 40-45 minutes. I don't recommend using the convection setting as it tends to finish the top of the cake too quickly leaving the center still a bit raw.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream. I've found it's even good refrigerated and served cold!
One of my favorite recipes from this book is Ligita's Quick Apple Cake of which Mr. Sax writes, "Stick a bookmark right here, and leave it in." He describes it as "Sort of a 'quick apple pie without the crust'...."
It is so easy to make and super yummy. As I am wont to do, I've upped the amount of apples from 3 cups to 5 cups. I also like to sprinkle the top of the cake with sanding sugar before baking for a little sparkle and crunch.
Ligita's Quick Apple Cake
adapted from Classic Home Desserts by Richard Sax
Makes one 10-inch single-layer cake, serves 8
Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
Toss together and spread evenly in 10-inch Pyrex pie pan:
5 cups peeled, cored, thinly sliced apples (550g or about 5 medium sized apples, any variety or a mix)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
In a medium size saucepan over medium heat, melt and cook until lightly golden:
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Remove from heat, let cool a bit and then stir in:
3/4 cup sugar (175g)
Gently stir in:
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Finally, whisk and then stir in until blended:
1 cup all-purpose flour (130g)
Pour batter over the apples and spread evenly. Sprinkle with:
2 tablespoons sanding sugar
Bake until lightly golden and crusty, 40-45 minutes. I don't recommend using the convection setting as it tends to finish the top of the cake too quickly leaving the center still a bit raw.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream. I've found it's even good refrigerated and served cold!
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