Well my friends, it’s officially October, which means two things. 1) My daily footwear has gone from a carefree summer sandal to my mud-caked, weather-worn rubber boots, and 2) it’s time to eat as many apples as humanly possible. Here in our area of the woods, they literally rain from the giant old apple tree in our yard. The other day one fell from the tree and hit me in the nose. I suppose I should be grateful he didn’t hit me in the eye, but still. It felt personal. Alas, last month I cut up many of those apples and baked them into this delicious apple pie, so I can understand the tree’s desire for revenge.
And honestly, I’d take an apple for my eye any day for this pie. I know the world is in love with fancy iced layer cakes (at least according to the internet), but I’m a simple girl at heart and much prefer a plain old sheet cake. I love sheet cakes because they come together AS easily: no need to create layers and frosting or unmold the cake from the pan while praying to a variety of gods that it stays in one piece. There are also so many variations that you can change the flavor profile with minimal effort.
Since it’s apple season, I chopped and quartered some apples and dipped them in a simple cake batter with a twist of lemon and cinnamon. Then while the cake was baking I made a quick syrup with honey and cinnamon, then poured it over the cake once it was out of the oven. As the cake cooled to room temperature and absorbed the syrup, it transformed into the moistest, most autumnal slice of cake I could have imagined. The cake itself has a denser feel, almost like a coffee cake, and honestly tastes really good with a hot cup of coffee or tea. I hope you enjoy it and that it adds more coziness to your fall, my friend!
Apple pie with honey syrup and cinnamon
Apple pie
-
3
cups
Flour -
2 1/4
teaspoons
baking powder -
1/2
teaspoon
sodium bicarbonate -
1
teaspoon
cinnamon -
1/2
teaspoon
nutmeg -
1/2
teaspoon
salt -
1/2
cup
unsalted butter
room temperature -
1
cup
granulated sugar -
1/3
cup
olive oil -
5
large eggs
room temperature -
1/4
cup
fresh lemon juice
saving the lemon juice -
2
spoons
fresh lemon zest -
1
table spoon
vanilla extract -
1/3
cup
whole milk
room temperature -
3
apples
peeled, cored and cut into quarters
Honey and cinnamon syrup
-
1/2
cup
Honey -
1/2
cup
waterfall -
1/2
teaspoon
cinnamon
Apple cake + honey and cinnamon syrup
-
Take one of the apple quarters and cut it into thin slices but DO NOT cut all the way through, only about halfway through the apple. You want it attached at the bottom, you’re basically just cutting into the rounded outside of the apple quarter (see the photos in the post for an idea). Repeat with all apple quarters so that they all have score lines cut into the rounded outside. Rub the nicked side of the apple quarters with the lemon left over from juicing to get some juice on the outside (this will help prevent them from browning while you prepare the batter). Set them aside.
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 1/2 x 13-inch rectangular casserole dish and line the bottom with parchment paper and set aside.
-
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar on medium-low speed until well combined and slightly pale in color. Add the olive oil and mix until smooth, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
-
Add the lemon juice, zest and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Then reduce the speed to low and alternate adding the flour mixture and milk in three increments, mixing until the batter is *just* combined (don’t overmix).
-
Pour the batter into the prepared rectangular pan. Spread the apple quarters evenly over the cake, scored side up. Place the pan in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
-
While the cake is baking you can prepare the syrup. Heat the honey, water and cinnamon together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
-
When the cake is cooked, remove it from the oven and place it on a rack to cool. Drizzle it evenly with the syrup and let it cool to room temperature while it absorbs the syrup. Cut, serve and enjoy your meal! The cake will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week, it is best enjoyed warm, so you can take a slice and put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds to warm it up before dipping it into the leftover cake 🙂
