3-4medium pink pearl apples, peeled, cut off the core, and sliced 1/4" thick
1/2cupplus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4cupgranulated (organic turbinado) sugar
Instructions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ยบ. Butter a 9" round cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and maple sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until incorporated.
Meanwhile, sift together the flours, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Stir the milk and vanilla together in a small measuring cup.
With the mixer on low, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and with the mixer on low, add 1/2 of the milk mixture, stirring until just combined. Continue like this until all the ingredients are added, then remove the bowl from the mixer, and give the batter a final turn with a rubber spatula to make sure the batter is homogeneous.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan.Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles over the batter, pressing them into the batter slightly. Pour the cream all over the top, then sprinkle evenly with the sugar.
Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs, and the cake is pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
The cake is best the day it has been made, but will keep for a day or two at room temperature in an airtight container. (The high moisture content makes it prone to molding, so store it in the fridge after that.)
Notes
Adapted quite a bit from The Arrows Cookbook.If you lack pink pearls, substitute any apple you like in its place; gravensteins or pink ladies would be my first choices.I find a T-shaped vegetable peeler the easiest way to peel apples: peel off the upper-and bottom-most ring of skin, then move around the apple removing the peel in downward strips.If you like a bit of spice, add 1/2-1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the sugar in the topping. Maple sugar is a luxury; feel free to use brown or unrefined cane sugar in its place.All ounce measurements are by weight.Nutritional values are based on one of ten servings.