Low-fat Dutch Apple Cake

This is barely a cake and more of an apple tart that won’t wreck your day. The batter is built lean: low-fat margarine cut into the flour like pastry, then bound with egg whites and skim milk instead of whole eggs and butter.

It comes together stiff, almost like a biscuit dough, which is exactly right since you spread just a thin layer across the pan and let the apples do the talking. Overlap the slices in two concentric circles so they fan across the top, then shower them with cinnamon sugar.

As it bakes, the apples soften and slump into the batter while the sugar caramelizes at the edges. A few dots of margarine on top help it brown. Ten minutes of cooling lets it set so it slices cleanly instead of crumbling.

Kitchen Tips

• Slice the apples thin and even so they soften at the same rate and lie flat in tidy circles.
• The batter is meant to be stiff; spread it with the back of a spoon to push it to the edges of the pan.
• Use a firm, tart baking apple so the slices hold their shape instead of collapsing to mush.
• Let it cool the full ten minutes before slicing so the crumb sets and the apples settle.

Variations

• Tuck a handful of raisins or dried cranberries between the apple layers.
• Swap the cinnamon sugar for a cardamom or nutmeg blend.
• Brush the warm cake with a little apricot jam for a glossy, bakery-style finish.