Apple Cranberry Cake-Pie
I had so much fun doing my Week of Cupcakes back in August and my Week of Pumpkin in October, that I’m back for another Week of… This time I’m featuring cranberries! Until last year, I had never eaten a cranberry. Fresh or dried. Now I eat them all the time.
I remember seeing this recipe show up when TWD did it. I looked amazing so I had it bookmarked. Then we decided to have friends over to check out the new kitchen (yes, I realize I promised updated pictures a long time ago, I’ll get on that…)
Since we were hosting friends for dinner, I wanted to make a special dessert. I love the flavor combo of the apple and cranberries in this and the dough is great. It’s just like it sounds, somewhere between a cake and a pie.
I made a 1/2 batch and used an 8×8 pan. I also served this with ice cream. Then Hubby and I ate leftovers for breakfast for a couple days. If you like apple pie and cranberries, I highly recommend making this!
Russian Grandmothers' Apple Pie-Cake
Ingredients:
For The Dough
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 lemon
3 1/4 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For The Apples
10 medium apples, all one kind or a mix
Squirt of fresh lemon juice
1 cup moist, plump raisins - I used dried cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Sugar, preferably decorating (coarse) sugar, for dusting
Directions:
To Make The Dough
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes more. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the baking powder and salt and mix just to combine. Add the lemon juice - the dough will probably curdle, but don't worry about it. Still working on low speed, slowly but steadily add 3 1/4 cups of the flour, mixing to incorporate it and scraping down the bowl as needed. The dough is meant to be soft, but if you think it looks more like a batter than a dough at this point, add the extra 1/4 cup flour. (The dough usually needs the extra flour.) When properly combined, the dough should almost clean the sides of the bowl.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it into a ball and divide it in half. Shape each half into a rectangle. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or for up to 3 days. (The dough can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months; defrost overnight in the refrigerator.)
To Make The Apples
Peel and core the apples and cut into slices about 1/4 inch thick; cut the slices in half crosswise if you want. Toss the slices in a bowl with a little lemon juice - even with the juice, the apples may turn brown, but that's fine - and add the raisins. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together, sprinkle over the apples and stir to coat evenly. Taste an apple and add more sugar, cinnamon, and/or lemon juice if you like.
Getting Ready to Bake
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter a 9x12-inch baking pan (Pyrex is good) and place it on a baking shee tlined with parchment or a silicone mat.
Remove the dough from the fridge. If it is too hard to roll and it cracks, either let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes or give it a few bashes with your rolling pin to get it moving. Once it's a little more malleable, you've got a few choices. You can roll it on a well-floured work surface or roll it between sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper. You can even press or roll out pieces of the dough and patch them together in the pan - because of the baking powder in the dough, it will puff and self-heal under the oven's heat. Roll the dough out until it is just a little larger all around than your pan and about 1/4 inch thick - you don't want the dough to be too thin, because you really want to taste it. Transfer the dough to the pan. If the dough comes up the sides of the pan, that's fine; if it doesn't that's fine too.
Give the apples another toss in the bowl, then turn them into the pan and, using your hands, spread them evenely across the bottom.
Roll out the second piece of dough and position it over the apples. Cut the dough so you've got a 1/4 to 1/2 inch overhang and tuck the excess into the sides of the pan, as though you were making a bed. (If you don't have that much overhang, just press what you've got against the sides of the pan.)
Brush the top of the dough lightly with water and sprinkle sugar over the dough. Using a small sharp knife, cut 6 to 8 evenly spaced slits in the dough.
Bake for 65 to 80 minutes, or until the dough is a nice golden brown and the juices from the apples are bubbling up through the slits. Transfer the baking pan to a cooling rack and cool to just warm or to room temperature. You'll be tempted to taste it sooner, but I think the dough needs a little time to rest.
Recipe from Dorie Greenspan, as seen on A Whisk and A Spoon
Check out my week of Cranberries here.
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
Thank God for the weird flavors and for not making em the only weirdo foodie out there. This sounds heavenly, and I can’t wait to try my hand at the curd this weekend.
I am practically addicted to lemon curd, and since raspberries are by far my favorite berry I would be scared to make this, have so much left over, and pour it over everything I could eat! The breakfast sandwich also looks good, never had sweet with the eggs, but its worth a shot! Would be great with french toast, and I love cream cheese with sweet jam 🙂
Jen, that curd looks just wonderful! I LOVE raspberry!
it’s okay to have a weird tastebud. it all matters if you like it (: i think flutternutters are weird in comparison 😛 no offense, people!
Mmm, this sounds fantastic! I’m so used to curd being citrus – this would be a nice change of pace.
You’re not the only one! Growing up, when we didn’t have tomato soup with our grilled cheese, there was usually jam spread on it after it was grilled. It’s a weird combo that one of my parents inroduced, but it’s surprisingly good.
Ooh, raspberry curd sounds fantastic.
Your sandwich seems like the breakfast version of a monte cristo sandwich, and I really like monte cristos.
i have never had raspberry curd and it sounds yummy. I think it would taste great on french toast. i might just have to try this!
I actually love egg and jam sandwiches! I think it’s pretty weird…but oh so delicious. that curd looks fantastic! Gorgeous color.
Wow, this could totally solve my problem with breakfast sandwiches. I just REALLY like sweetness in my breakfast but I want to like breakfast sandwiches because egg is so filling and good for you…I am definitely going to try this!
I bet the sweet/savory combo is yummy! I’ve never made curd for a cake before but hope to soon – it sounds so delicious and versatile.
I’ve heard of this combo before and I have to say – it grosses me out and intrigues me at the same time. Maybe I’ll get the guts to try it some day. You do make it sound delicious 🙂
Oh wow, the curd looks so beautiful! The consistency looks perfect!
Funny this should come up b/c I just had a ham & egg sandwich last night and I almost always have to add strawberry jam to that! Adding raspberry curd is sure to be just as good.
🙂 Kimberly @ Poor Girl Eats Well
PS – that curd is simply gorgeous!
ooo i think i know which cake you’ll be posting soon…if it’s the one i’m thinking of, i have to say, this curd was the best filling i could imagine for that cake. this curd was just awesome (and i’m not a raspberry fan) and yours looks gorgeous!!
Wow that is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!
This certainly sounds like an interesting combination. I suppose it’s similar to a monte cristo, no? I’d love to give it a try!
I saw this recipe yesterday and immediately printed it. I made Vanilla raspberry cupcakes for a friend’s birthday and wanted to make them a little extra special. This curd is amazing. Its a little thinner than lemon curd but that was perfect for what I wanted. I didn’t want that thicker consistency. I will link to your blog when I post the cupcakes with pics and recipes to mine!
Shanna
http://acupfullofcake.blogspot.com/
I believe you when you say it tastes great with eggs. I’m not a ketchup fan, but I do like it on scrambled eggs – completely changes the flavor of both!
I’m surprised your curd didn’t thicken after being chilled.
Btw, tell you hubby that it’s true cheese and jelly seem like a strange combo, but well prepared cheese platters always include fruit selections (pears, grapes, etc) – they compliment one another beautifully.
🙂
ButterYum
(1) Raspberry curd rocks, but I’ve never had a recipe for it, so thank you!
(2) Berries are gerat on savory dishes! Every had a berry sauce on grilled rare venison meat? YUM!!!!
(3) When I make over easy eggs, I always use toast covered in butter and raspberry preserves to sop up the yolk. So good!!!
So you are in good company my dear!
I’m glad to hear I’m not the only “weirdo” that likes the jam/egg/cheese combo.
I’m also surprised it didn’t thicken up more. Even this morning, it was still the same consistency and it’s been in the fridge since I made it.
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Your raspberry curd recipe is amazing!! I made it and used it for some cupcakes. I credited and linked to your blog in my blog! Thanks for an awesome recipe
Shanna
http://acupfullofcake.blogspot.com/2010/04/vanilla-bean-cupcakes-with-raspberry.html
This certainly looks addictive, and the colour is just DIVINE! Will have to try it ….. Am curioius to see what it tastes like with egg..
I don’t know if I’m brave enough to try this one on an egg sandwich, but I did pin it 🙂
beantownbaker — March 18th, 2013 @ 8:18 am
Thanks for the pin! I hope you try it some time.
Jen, are the amounts above written the way that you made it (doubled)? Can’t wait to try it!
beantownbaker — April 1st, 2013 @ 8:36 am
I’ve never doubled this recipe before, but I don’t see why you couldn’t. Let me know how it works out for you.
I have been searching for a recipe just like this for a cake filling! Thank you so much 🙂
beantownbaker — May 12th, 2014 @ 4:55 pm
Glad to help! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Is it possible to make this without the added sugar? I’m trying to find recipes that are good for a cancer diet. Thanks