Italian Apple Cake (Torta di Mele)

A moist, rustic cake packed with sliced apples, lightly spiced and dusted with powdered sugar.

Ingredients

• 3 medium apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9-inch springform pan. Toss the apple slices with the lemon juice.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until pale, then whisk in the oil, milk and vanilla.
2. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined, then fold in most of the apple slices.
3. Pour the batter into the pan and arrange the remaining apple slices on top.
4. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until golden and a tester comes out clean.
5. Cool, then dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

Lidia Bastianich’s torta di mele, a homey Italian apple cake.