Patchwork Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1/8 of a teaspoon salt (a pinch)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 12 tablespoons 1 ½ sticks cold, unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 large eggs, whisked together, with ¼ cup milk
- 8 cups thinly sliced, peeled, cored, apples
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- Zest from 2 lemons
- 1 egg, lightly beaten, to be used as an egg wash
- Granulated sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Spray a 9-by-13 inch rectangular pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a food processor, combined flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar, and pulse until well combined. Add the butter and pulse until butter is broken down into small pieces.
- Add eggs and milk and pulse until a wet dough forms. Pour mixture into a bowl and gently blend ingredients together.
- Wrap dough in a piece of plastic wrap and chill for approximately an hour and up to a week.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While dough is chilling, make filling. In a large bowl, combine apples, spices, and zest, and toss to combine.
- On a well-floured surface, roll out half of dough approximately 13 inches long by 9 inches wide. Using a dough cutter, cut down in half crosswise. Cut each half in half again. Using a dough cutter, gently lift one quarter of the dough and fit it into the pan. Repeat with remaining dough until bottom and sides of pan are covered with dough.
- Pour filling into pan evenly, pressing down gently.
- Repeat step 7 with remaining dough, patching together any gaps. Dough will bake together, so do not be concerned with imperfections.
- Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the dough with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 minutes, then increase oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking for another 30 minutes or until cake is nice and brown.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Makes 1 9-by-13 inch cake