French Apple Cake

Summer is leaving and
Autumn is upon us.
So sad.
I am such a summer person.
I live for the sun, warmth, limited amount of clothes on your body, light, longer days, music blaring from the car windows, fresh foods from the garden, and the list goes on....

My family on the other hand, disagrees with me.
They prefer the cooler nights, the abundance of comfort foods, the changing of the leaves,  and I am unsure of what else, since I don't feel the same way.
My son, on the other hand is the only one who likes winter.  Ewww.
He likes the snow.

Everywhere you turn now, TV, magazines, blogs, everyone is showing you fall recipes.
I fight this for as long as I can.

Apples are always a fall fruit that is purchased in our house.
I always bake Apple Crumble.
My family and friends always request this from me.

I had purchased quite a few apples.
Enough to bake at least 5 Apple Crumbles.
When they see I have bought apples, they get excited because they know I'll bake it.
But
I had other ideas.
New.
That is what I wanted; something new.

I am changing.
I no longer want to do the things I used to do.
This was different.

Light is an understatement.
Airy is more like it.
The batter doesn't even look like it will fill the pan.
If you want a dessert after a heavy meal, this is it.

*I found this recipe in the September issue of Canadian Living magazine.

You can use any baking apple. 
The recipe states to use Golden Delicious. 
I used Royal Gala.
For more information regarding apples, please see below...
http://www.orangepippin.com/apples/a

French Apple Cake

4 medium apples (900 grams) -- I used 2 large apples
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/3 cup milk (I used 2%)
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp confectioners' sugar--optional

*Preheat oven 400F.  (yes, it is really that high.  The recipe stated for the oven to be 425F).
Grease or butter your 9-inch (2.5L) springform pan.
Please ensure you also line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.  I did not do this step and my cake slightly stuck to the bottom of the pan.

*In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and lemon zest.  (and salt if using).
[dry ingredients].  Set aside.
*In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, cooled butter and vanilla.  [wet ingredients].
*Pour the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and mix until combined.  
Set aside.
*Peel, core apples and slice 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick.
*Toss apple slices into the batter and using a rubber spatula, fold together.
*Pour batter into the prepared springform pan.
*Bake until the top is golden, puffed and firm to the touch.  Approx. 30-minutes.
*Let cool in pan for approx. 10-minutes.
*Run knife around edges and release from pan.
*Let cool completely.
*Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

***Please Note:   I always use Salted Butter and then omit the salt requested in the recipe.
IF you use Unsalted Butter, then please add 1/4 tsp salt (this is what the recipe requested).
You should do what you feel is best.

:)