Fresh Apple Cake

For my first years of marriage, I often went to the library to check out cookbooks.  I would search for recipes I thought sounded yummy and then make photocopies.  If I found myself making lots of copies in one book, then I realized it was a good one to buy for my collection.

One such book is called The Basic Gourmet Entertains by Kathleen and Dan Taggart.   This book contains a great variety of menus for different types of occasions.  Each menu has precise instructions giving the ideal timeline to insure a successful dinner party.

One recipe I find myself relying on over and over again is their Fresh Apple Cake.  It's "simply delicious, looks elegant at a sit down dinner and feels comfortable at a backyard barbecue".  I have made it with pears, peaches, apples of course and even strawberries.  It's thick, with a nice crust on the outside and moist inside, and you don't need frosting, you could even serve it without whipped cream.  What I am saying is, it's a cake you don't have to stress about.

Serves 12

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Grated zest of 1 medium to large lemon
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large, tart firm apple (about 1 pound),
peeled, cored, and cut into1/2-inch dice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 10-inch springform pan.  In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add vanilla and grated lemon zest, and mix well.  Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix until just incorporated.  Add buttermilk, and stir well.  Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and stir to blend.  Add diced apples and stir until blended.  Pour batter into prepared pan, spread it to sides of pan with a rubber spatula.  Batter will be thick.
Bake until cake is golden brown and toothpick or cake tester inserted in middle of cake comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.  Let cool.
When cool, remove sides from pan.  Transfer cake to a serving platter.  Cake holds well, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for 3 days at room temperature.  it can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to 3 weeks.  Thaw completely at room temperature before serving.