Michelle's Apple Cake

Apple Cake

4 to 6 tart apples (medium size; I used 3 large granny smith apples)
2 lemons, juiced (this is just for the apples)
3 tablespoons sugar (this is just for the apples)
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks (do not put 2 yolks together; they will be used individually)
1/2 lemon, juiced, peel grated
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon rum (I didn't include this)
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon butter (to grease pan)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons powdered sugar (just for decoration; both times I've made this, I didn't bother to add it, though in the picture it was added along with what looks like Cinnamon)

Peel apples. Cut in half; core. Cut decorative lengthwise slits in apples, about 1/2 inch deep. Sprinkle with lemon juice and 3 tablespoons sugar; set aside.

Cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar together. Beat in egg yolks one at a time. Gradually beat in lemon juice and grated peel.

Sift baking powder and flour together; gradually add to batter. Blend in milk and rum.

In a small bowl beat egg whites until stiff; fold into batter.

Generously grease spring form pan. Pour in batter; top with apple halves. Brush with oil.

Bake in preheated 350 F oven 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove from pan; sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Yield 6 servings.

So I used this sugar-honey substitute break down: http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Baking-with-Sugar-and-Sugar-Substitutes/Detail.aspx I pretty much eyeballed what I thought was 3/4 of whatever the original sugar amount was.

Also, I only had 2 small lemons, so I juiced one for the apple honey mixture, and the other was juiced (and peel grated) for the cake.

F.Y.I. I used a (non-spring form) bundt cake pan with ridiculously high sides because the first time I made this cake I used a standard (non-springform) 9" pan and it looked really close to spilling over (thankfully it did not). Also, if you decide to use a non-springform pan, the cake will still release from the pan (provided enough butter was used to grease it), though some (apple) juice is lost from turning it over. And then there's turning it over again so the apples are facing up, which is tricky, but totally do-able!

"There's a hole in this cake" -My Big fat Greek Wedding