A warm dessert on a cold winter night has a way of enveloping you with a sense of comfort and cheer. I adjusted this recipe to my taste from America’s Test Kitchen, my trusty companion. The sweet, slightly tart apples are partially cooked in a caramel-like syrup and then baked into a fine-grained, delectable cake. Partially cooking the apples also prevents them from seeping unwanted liquid into the cake. With a mug of tea, coffee, or a tall, cold glass of milk, whichever you prefer, all you need is a good book/movie, or a fun group of friends. Your home will be perfumed with a sweet aroma and it’s so satisfying when you take it out of the oven inverting the pan to reveal a gorgeous design of apples glistening with caramel. This is absolutely incredible served warm – you will not believe the speed with which it will disappear from the plate. It’s a great lunchbox option for the next day, which is why it’s such a good idea to make two cakes at the same time.

Yields: 2 (9 inch) round cakes

Ingredients:

5 apples

4 Tablespoons of butter

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

9 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2 (9 inch) round cake pans by greasing them with baking spray.

Peel, core and cut the apples into 1/2 inch slices. Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the apples, brown sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Cook for about 5 min. The apples should be softened but still a little firm. Arrange the apples in the prepared baking pans. Make sure to use the syrup that accumulates in the skillet also.

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment mix the eggs and sugar until well combined. Add the sour cream and the melted butter. Mix until well combined also.Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Spread the batter evenly over the fruit in the two cake pans. Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden. You can check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake, if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Cool of 5 minutes in the pan and then invert onto a cooling rack. Entertaining:

If you want your guests to feel pampered in your home with minimal effort on your part, this is the recipe to choose. The cake comes together so quickly, you can prep it at the last minute and put it in the oven right before your guests arrive. They will be greeted with the welcoming fragrance of baked apples as they step in the door. And what could be better than to serve something to your visitors straight from the oven? This is also something you could put together quickly for your overnight guests to serve as a brunch dessert the next day. Your guests could even help you assemble this while you bond in the kitchen.