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Cakes
Orange-Flavored Apple Cake
Orange-Flavored Apple cake (using butter; flavored with orange zest)
Originated from: Northern Italy
Occasion: Special events
Contributed by: Mary Melfi

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Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/8 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup butter (melted and cooled)*
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 large apples
Finely grated zest of 1 orange mixed with 2 tablespoons sugar

Icing sugar for dusting

* Measurement is approximate



Directions

Cream eggs and sugar.

Meanwhile core and peel the 2 apples. Cut one apple into slices about 1/4 inch thick, chop the other apple into small pieces about 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch. Put aside.

Add the butter to the creamed sugar and eggs.

Add the baking powder.

Slowly add the flour, bearing in mind that this batter will be much thicker than the average cake batter (More butter can be added, but it shouldn't be necessary.).

Fold in the finely grated orange zest (that has been mixed with the two tablespoons of sugar) into the cake batter using a rubber spatula.

Fold in the apple that has been chopped up into 1/4 inch pieces into the batter using a rubber spatula.

Pour the cake batter into a greased 7 inch springform pan.

Decorate the top of the cake with the sliced apples.

Bake in a 350 F degree oven for about 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out dry.

Cool.

Dust with icing sugar before serving.


Notes

This orange-flavored apple cake is a bit unusual, but pleasant enough. In fact, it's more than pleasant, it's quite delicious (Assuming of course, the batter rises and doesn't end up being too dry or flat). Like many other coffee cake recipes from Italy's North, this recipe does not use milk. The uncooked batter is surprisingly thick -- almost like a bread dough. Some recipes for this cake actually only call for only three or four tablespoons of butter (And not a cup!). Nonetheless, while the cake is not as high as the average North American one [even in a 7 inch springform pan it measures less than 3 inches high) it's still has a lovely taste ...Photo: Mary Melfi.

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