apple cake
Apple Bundt Cake
Adapted from Saveur
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour (substitute up to 1 cup whole grain flour, if desired)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil (e.g., sunflower, canola, or grapeseed)
1/2 cup applesauce
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 firm, crisp apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (e.g., empire, ida red, or jonagold)
2 cups chopped, shelled walnuts
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan (or muffin tins) with butter, then dust with 1 tablespoon flour and knock out any extra.
Sift together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl, and whisk together. Stir in applesauce, oil, and eggs until just combined. Fold apples and nuts gently into batter.
Pour batter into pan and smooth out the top so it's even. If you're making muffins, fill cups 2/3 of the way to the tops. Bake about 1 hour (about 45 minutes for muffins), or until top is nicely tanned and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 20 minutes, then invert onto serving plate or stand.
Variation: Swap Bosc pears (the brownish kind) for apples. Stir about 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger in with the applesauce mixture. Omit cinnamon.