Cosmic Crisp® Apple Ornament Cake
Photo by
Here is the beautiful whole apple cake I made on Home & Family.
This is probably my most favorite recipe I have created in a long while. The "faintcy" version has been featured in the Martha Stewart "Sparkle & Joy" issue. But you can make this pretty much any day of the year.
You can watch me make this cake. I shot a step-by-step video for you to follow along. Click here for the tutorial and for other recipes. The Celebration Cake is a classic French Butter batter with whole Cosmic Crisp apples poached in sparkling wine or apple juice, then nestled in the batter to bake the gorgeous apples right into the cake. It is a showstopper when finished. You get a piece of whole, delicious Cosmic Crisp apple in every slice.
Don't miss my other two recipes for Cosmic Crisp - an easy-to-assemble, impressive Charcuterie Board and Sparkling Salt, which makes sweet, thoughtful gifts!
SERVING SIZE: 8-10 PREP TIME: 25 mins BAKING TIME: 1 hr 20 mins
Ingredients
For Poaching Apples
5 Cosmic Crisp® apples
3½ cups sparkling white wine
2 cups water
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1-2 star anise
For Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened + more for greasing pan
1 cup granulated sugar + 2 teaspoons, divided
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup sparkling wine
1-2 teaspoons glittery sugar, if desired
Directions
Wash Cosmic Crisp® apples. Leave skin on. Then combine your poaching liquid.
Stir together the wine, water and sugar in a large pot or 4-quart Dutch Oven. Drop in the vanilla bean and star anise; bring to a boil.
Using a fork, pierce the bottoms of the Cosmic Crisp® apples in a cross pattern, about ¾” deep. Place apples in poaching liquid. Reduce heat down to medium low. Poach apples for 8 minutes or until just barely tender. Using a large slotted spoon, turn apples twice during poaching time. Carefully remove apples to a plate; cool slightly. Discard the anise and vanilla bean from poaching liquid. Return heat to high. Bring poaching liquid to boiling. Boil, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until liquid reduces to ½ cup and has a syrup-like consistency and turns light amber in color. Remove from heat; let cool. Syrup will continue to thicken as it cools.
Meanwhile, place rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare cake batter.
Lightly butter the bottom of a 10” springform pan. Line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and the sides of the pan. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat 1 minute more. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each. Add the sparkling wine; beat 30 seconds more. (The mixture will look shaggy). Slowly add the dry mixture, beating on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of bowl; beat 30 seconds more.
Transfer batter to the prepared pan. Smooth batter using a rubber scraper. Gently place the apples into the batter, making sure they do not touch the bottom of the pan. Evenly sprinkle the 2 teaspoons sugar on top.
Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the cake near the center apple. Loosely cover with parchment or foil if the cake starts to brown too much.
Transfer cake from oven; place on a wire rack. Cool completely, at least 2 hours.
Using a table knife, gently loosen cake edges from sides of pan. Remove sides of springform pan. Using a very wide spatula, transfer cake from bottom of springform pan to 12” stand or plate. Gently brush wine reduction on top of cake, using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with glittery sugar, if desired.
Using a serrated knife, cut cake into 8 to 10 slices, being extra careful when cutting through the apples. Serve cake slices with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
Copyright © 2020 Lovely & Delicious Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.