Easy Polish Apple Cake

Polish apple cake, also known as szarlotka, is a classic dessert that is enjoyed by people of all ages. It is made with simple ingredients and is relatively easy to make. The cake has a moist, tender crumb and is filled with sweet, juicy apples.

Ingredients:

* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 6 cups peeled and sliced apples (about 3 large apples)
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
4. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. In a medium bowl, combine the apples, sugar, and cinnamon. Spread the apples over the batter.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips:

* For a sweeter cake, use more sugar in the filling.
* For a more tart cake, use less sugar in the filling.
* You can also add other spices to the filling, such as nutmeg or ginger.
* If you don't have time to peel the apples, you can use canned apple pie filling instead.

Variations:

* Apple-cinnamon cake: Add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the batter.
* Apple-nut cake: Add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the filling.
* Apple-raisin cake: Add 1/2 cup of raisins to the filling.
* Apple-caramel cake: Drizzle caramel sauce over the cake before serving.