Apple Sheet Cake

By S_brabec

The best baking apples have sweet and tart flavor and hold up as they cook. We like to use Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Gala here.

Ingredients

• 2 medium baking apples
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 2/3 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup apple butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried apples, finely chopped
• Maple Icing
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon milk

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. Peel, core, and coarsely shred one of the apples. Thinly slice remaining apple, removing seeds; cover and set apples aside. In a large bowl whisk together the butter, brown sugar, apple butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk until combined. Fold in dried and fresh shredded apple. Spread batter into prepared pan. Arrange apple slices over batter.
Bake about 40 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack. Spoon Maple Icing over hot cake; spread evenly, using a pastry brush if necessary. Cool completely. Dust with apple pie spice or ground cinnamon.
From the Test Kitchen
MAPLE ICING

In a small bowl stir together 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk until smooth.