Ingredients:
- 125 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 113 g (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 130 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons dark rum
- 4 to 6 apples (such as Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and sliced (about 4 cups)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla and rum. (Don’t worry if the batter looks a little grainy at this stage — it will come together.)
Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until combined. Gently fold in the sliced apples.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Almond Topping (added during final 10–15 min of baking)
Ingredients:
- 50 g sliced almonds
- 3 tbsp sugar (white or brown)
- 2–3 tbsp milk or cream
- 1 tbsp butter (optional, for richness)
- Pinch of salt (optional, to balance sweetness)
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.
Heat gently over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warm (don’t boil).
Spoon over the cake during the last 10–15 minutes of baking. Spread evenly.
Bake uncovered until the topping is golden and slightly crisp.