apple spice cake

So, there once was a recipe of Dorie Greenspan's...something I've been eyeing for quite some time.

 

But I had a few problems with it.  I can never just leave a recipe alone.  

Hello, my name is Melissa, and I'm a control freak.  

Hello Melissa.

This cake was no different.  It calls for dark rum.  Rum, Dorie? Really?  There's no way I'd have that in stock, and certainly an even slimmer chance that I'm buying a whole fifth just for the three tablespoons the recipe calls for.  So instead, I upped the vanilla and threw in some almond.  Who doesn't love almond extract, anyways?  And if you ask me, you can really never have enough vanilla.

I didn't stop there.  I noticed that Dorie just wants you to simply "melt" your butter.  Oh, no you di-in't, Dorie.  Are you kidding me?  You really don't want to enhance the apple flavor with the nuttiness of browned butter?  Well, I do.  Sorry.  [Actually, I'm not. This was delicious.]

Oh, but there's just one more thing.  I swear.  You may be the next Julia Child, Ms. Greenspan, but let it be known: I won't fall for your tricks.  Are you really trying to tell me that an apple cake can be delicious without cinnamon?  I don't believe you.  

Enter cinnamon.  

And...that cardamom I bought last week that I've been dying to use.  

Oh, yeah, and if I have cinnamon, I have to add nutmeg.  I can't have one without the other.  (I think this is what they call a compulsion.)

And then there's those ground cloves that I love.  And allspice!  Gotta have allspice if I'm calling it a spice cake.

But that's it.  I swear.  I mean no disrespect, ma'am.

Other than these couple of things, Dorie my dear, I think you I have yourmyself a winning cake here.

Apple Spice Cake

recipe slightly adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Marie Hélène's Apple Cake

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt
2 cups apples, peeled and chopped into 1" chunks (about 3 large apples)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon allspice
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, browned and cooled

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan and put it on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the springform on it.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices together in small bowl. 
3. Brown the butter in a small saucepan and set aside to cool.
4. Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1-inch chunks.
5. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they’re foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Whisk in the vanilla and almond extract. 
6. Add half of the flour to the egg mixture, and when it is incorporated, add half of the butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter. 
7. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it's coated with batter.
8. Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.
9. Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. (Open the springform slowly, and before it’s fully opened, make sure there aren't any apples stuck to it.) Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy.