This cake is so fascinating. It’s almost too tart for my taste, and yet I’ve made it three times now in the last three weeks, and it’s been gone before nightfall. My kids have somehow equated it with the sour spray they get at the summer snow cone stands, and they have just used big ole spoons to work their way through it. And, as mentioned previously, I’m still working on the bags of cranberries I got a little bit excited about in November, so this may have another reiteration or two before Christmas. Which will just be delightful. This recipe comes from Ina Garten’s How Easy Is That? which is a really delightful book for the eager, but sometimes stressed out, hostess that I like to be.

Apple Cranberry Cake

12 oz. fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 c. light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 T. grated orange zest (2 oranges)
1/4 c. freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/8 t. ground cinnamon, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 c. plus 1 T. granulated sugar
1/4 lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1/4 c. sour cream
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 t. kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

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.

This little guy gobbled my photo shoot up in minutes. I really only had one option for my photo. But I loved seeing him go at it!