Polish Hanukkah Cake: Gateau de Hannouka

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 10

5 apples 3 Fuji and 2 Granny Smith, or any combination of sweet and tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 6 cups)
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
10 walnut halves roughly chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped almonds
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil plus more for greasing pan
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease a Bundt pan or a 9- by- 13- inch baking pan.
Toss apples in a large bowl with the zest and juice of the lemon, the walnuts, and the cinnamon.
Pulse together flour, baking powder, salt, almonds, and 1 1/4 cups of the sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. With the food processor running, add the eggs, oil, and almond extract, processing until just mixed.
Spoon 1/3 of the batter over the bottom of the pan. Scatter the apples on top, and cover the apples with the remaining batter.
Sprinkle top with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar (you’ll need less if using a Bundt pan).
Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. The cake will take a shorter time to bake in the shallow rectangular pan than in the Bundt pan.