Baking a Cake For a Change

The pears were ripening in the fruit basket - begging to be make into something yummy (at least I hope it will be yummy), so I took out a recipe a friend of mine gave me for German Apple Cake Fine.  I made a few modifications to her recipe and baked it as given.  It's a nice light cake, not too sweet.  Here is the recipe:

                        German Apple Cake Fine

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
5 apples (or 5 pears is what I used)
1/4 tsp lemon extract (I wanted almond flavor to complement the pears so I used 1/4 tsp almond extract and 1/4 tsp vanilla)
1 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1-4 TBSP milk - depending on humidity, size of eggs
2 TBSP lemon juice if needed to keep fruit from turning brown

9 or 10 inch springform pan.

Grease the springform pan with butter or shortening.

Peel (if you want to), quarter and core the apples(pears).  Slice the quartered apples into thin slices but not all the way through one end, this way they will hold together.  Sprinkle with lemon juice if the apples you used tend to turn brown quickly.  Arrange the cut fruit on a 10 inch plate so you will know how you want to arrange the apples on the cake (I usually arrange 8 apple halves(2 quarters) around the edge of the pan and one apple half in the center).

In a small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder and mix thoroughly.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together using a stand or hand held electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Alternate adding eggs and flour mix in three batches, 1/3 of the flour, then 1 egg, the second third of the flour, the second egg, then the last third of flour, and the last egg.  Beat well after each addition.  Add the lemon extract (or in my case, almond and vanilla extracts), and mix.

Here is the tricky part, add milk one tablespoon at a time and mix, until you have a batter that SLOWWWWWLY falls off the beater when it is lifted from the mix.  It may take 1 TBSP to reach this level or 6, depends on how dry your flour is, how big the eggs, etc. 

Fold the batter into the greased springform pan and spread evenly.  Arrange the fruit on top of the batter.  Bake in a 350F oven for 40 to 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted halfway between the cake pan rim and the cake center comes out clean.  Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.  Once cooled, release the cake from the springform pan, arrange on serving platter, and dust with confectioners sugar.  The cake can be served warm, cold or room temperature.

You can see a picture of this cake (similar recipe) at http://www.quick-german-recipes.com/german-apple-cake-recipe.html
Enjoy!