Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Dessert
American
8 - 10 servings
30 minutes
50 minutes
This is a tasty and easy-to-prepare dessert for sharing with family and friends. It travels well and can be made a day ahead!
Butter or margarine for greasing pan
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar plus 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar, divided use
1 teaspoon lemon zest or orange zest (color portion of peel), finely minced
2 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon milk
3 Granny Smith Apples (see notes below)
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup currant jelly or strawberry jelly
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
Seeds of 1 pomegranate, about 1 cup, or use our easy-to-use pomegranate arils
Sprigs of fresh mint
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 400°. Generously grease a 9-inch spring form pan with butter. Set aside.
In food processor fitted with metal blade o in large bowl of an electric mixer, combine softened butter, ¾ cup sugar, and lemon zest or orange zest; process until blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating between additions.
In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture and beat until blended, stopping to scrape down sides with rubber spatula if needed. Add milk and beat until smooth. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth out top.
Peel, core, and thinly slice apples and arrange slices atop batter in pan, overlapping slices in concentric circles, starting at outside edge. Brush top with melted butter. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar on top. If you prefer a sweeter dessert, you can add 1 additional tablespoon of sugar.
Place spring form pan on rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375° and bake an additional 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and apples are golden. Place on wire rack to cool 10 minutes.
Carefully remove rim from spring form pan, running a sharp knife around the edge if necessary.
In small saucepan, combine currant jelly or strawberry jelly and pomegranate juice. Place on high heat and stir until melted. Remove from heat and brush on top and sides of warm cake. Cool cake.
Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top of cake. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature accompanied by ice cream or whipped cream.
Granny Smith Apple is the traditional pie and baking apple. However, if you'd like to change it up a bit, try Honeycrisp™, Pink Lady, or Modi variety apples.
