easy cranberry & apple cake

i really love that the name of this recipe begins with the word “easy.” when i am searching for a new dessert recipe, i am frequently overwhelmed by the number of steps and ingredients many entail. sometimes i’m up for a challenge, but sometimes i just want something quick, delicious and….easy.

leave it to ina garten to create such a thing. this easy cranberry & apple cake comes from her new book, how easy is that? and the name of the recipe did not mislead me. the cake truly was a cinch, and the tart cranberries in this cake complement the sweet apples so well.

recipe:

easy cranberry & apple cake

serves 6 to 8

12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
1 granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
11⁄8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup sour cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. set aside.

in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. with the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. on low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.

pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1⁄8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. serve warm or at room temperature.

while baking this cake, i wondered if cranberries were a fruit or vegetable. i figured they were a fruit, but i thought i’d check nonetheless.  indeed, they are a fruit (a cousin of blueberries). i am probably the only one who didn’t know that.

the cake slides easily out of the pan, only leaving behind a few lone pieces of fruit (which i gladly ate).

moist, fruity, not too sweet and still warm from the oven. the perfect slice!