Cranberry/Apple Cake to Welcome Fall

Cranberry/Apple Cake.

Cranberries and apples remind me that fall has arrived, and to welcome it I made Barefoot Contessa's cranberry/apple cake.  The tartness of the cranberries, apples, and orange zest provides a nice contrast to the sweetness of the brown sugar .  A touch of sour cream in the topping adds yet another flavor to this cake. 

Ingredients: 

12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed, (pick over to remove stems) (I used a 10 oz frozen package.)
1 Granny Smith apple peeled and diced
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 large or extra large eggs
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 stick of butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt (I omitted this.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

Peel and dice one Granny Smith apple.

Add orange zest to diced apples and cranberries. 

Add brown sugar, orange juice and 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the fruit and set aside.

Spread the fruit mixture into a 10 inch glass pie plate.

In the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment beat eggs at medium speed for 2 minutes.  Add 1 cup sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat until just combined.  On low speed slowly add the flour and salt.

Pour this batter over the fruit mixture in the pie plate, spreading evenly.

Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the batter.

 

 

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Out of oven. 

Ready to eat with a dollop of whipped cream.

 This would be a great dessert for Thanksgiving.