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To prepare the apples:
3-4 firm apples, ideally a mix of varieties, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
To make the cake:
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons orange zest
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.
Pour the apples into the baking dish and mix them with the butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside while you mix the cake.
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a mixer, beat the butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar until light. Add the egg, vanilla, and orange zest and mix again. Add half of the flour mixture, the milk, and then the remaining half of the flour mixture, mixing each time until just combined. Pour the batter over the apples and spread it so that it covers them evenly.
Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle it over the top. Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or cooled directly from the baking dish.
Jobs for children: Children can peel the apples, zest the orange, and mix. At the end, children can also sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top. To make it come out more evenly, put the cinnamon-sugar mixture in a clean spice bottle so that not too much comes out with any one shake. Older children can also dice apples.