It's nice to make use of the wonderful fall harvest when making desserts for Rosh Hashanah. Since the plums have been so sweet and flavorful this summer and fall, in makes sense to add them to this delicious apple cake, which is perfect as yom tov dessert!
1 stick unsalted margarine, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
3 large eggs
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large apples, peeled, pitted and sliced, sprinkled with 2 tsp lemon juice
3 large black or red plums, pitted and sliced
Topping:
1/4 cup vanilla sugar or white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover a square pan with parchment paper and grease lightly. In a bowl, sift together dry ingredients and set aside. In another bowl, combine the topping ingredients and set aside. Slice and combine fruit. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy on medium speed (about 4 minutes). With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, then the applesauce, honey and vanilla, and mix only until the batter is smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined.
Spread half of the batter evenly in the pan. Top with half of the fruit mixture, then sprinkle with two-thirds of the sugar mixture. Spread the remaining batter on top, arrange the remaining fruit slices on top and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture and the almonds. Bake the cake for 45 minutes to an hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
