The Best Ever Apple Cake

🥘 Ingredients

• all-purpose flour
  3/4 cup
• baking powder
  1 tsp
• cream cheese, room temperature
  1/2 pkg
• eggs, room temperature
  2 large
• kosher salt
  1/2 tsp
• packed light brown sugar
  1 cup
• unsalted butter, room temperature
  12 tbsp
• vanilla extract or paste
  1 tsp
• whole wheat flour
  3/4 cup

🍳 Cookware

• medium bowl
• stand mixer
• large bowl
• hand mixer
• spatula

1. 1

   ½ package (113 grams) cream cheese, room temperature (113 grams), unsalted butter, room temperature (170 grams)

   cream cheese, room temperature: 1/2 pkg, unsalted butter, room temperature: 12 tbsp
2. 2

   4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, eggs, room temperature

   eggs, room temperature: 2 large
3. 3

   1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste

   vanilla extract or paste: 1 tsp
4. 4

   kosher salt to taste!

   kosher salt: 1/2 tsp
5. 5

   2 cups (240 grams) powdered packed light brown sugar (213 grams)

   packed light brown sugar: 1 cup
6. 6

   chopped roasted salted peanuts, for sprinkling on top
7. 7

   Share
8. 8

   Peel, core, and cut the apples into rough 1/2-inch pieces and transfer to a bowl, Tupperware, or zip-top bag. (You want around 450 grams of diced apples.) Add the brown sugar and cinnamon, then toss to coat the apples evenly. Let macerate at room temperature for at least ⏱️ 6 hours or in the fridge for up to ⏱️ 24 hours , tossing a couple of times as they sit. (Let the apples come to room temperature before folding into the batter.)
9. 9

   Set a rack in the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan.
10. 10

    In a medium bowl , thoroughly whisk together whole wheat flour (90 grams), all-purpose flour (90 grams), and baking powder ; set aside.

    whole wheat flour: 3/4 cup, all-purpose flour: 3/4 cup, baking powder: 1 tsp
11. 11

    In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using a hand mixer ), combine the butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, and salt. Use the paddle attachment to mix until fluffy and light, stopping once to scrape down the bowl and paddle with a spatula , about ⏱️ 5 minutes . Add one egg and the vanilla, mixing until fluffy and evenly incorporated, about ⏱️ 2 minutes . Stop and scrape. Repeat with the final egg.
12. 12

    Add the flour and mix until mostly combined, then finish mixing by hand. Scrape in the apples and all the syrup that’s collected, then fold into the batter. (It will look like too many apples; it is not.)
13. 13

    Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spread evenly, and firmly tap the pan against the counter a few times to settle. Bake until dry and browned on top, and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about ⏱️ 45 minutes for a 9-inch pan or ⏱️ 50 minutes for an 8-inch pan. Cool fully before unmolding and frosting.
14. 14

    To make the frosting (which is nice to have but it totally doesn’t need!): Cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla, either with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the sugar a big spoonful at a time, beating until smooth and fluffy. Add salt, a big pinch at a time, beating to incorporate and tasting between pinches until it’s just the salty-sweet you want. Spread over the cake and shower with the peanuts.