Sheet-Pan Gala Apple Slab Cake with Cinnamon Sugar Crust

Serves 6 · 15 min prep · 30 min cook

Ingredients

• 3 medium Gala apples
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup neutral oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp turbinado sugar

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed quarter sheet pan or 9-by-13-inch pan with parchment, leaving a slight overhang for easy lifting later.
2. 2Peel, core, and dice the apples into half-inch pieces. Pat them dry with a paper towel so excess moisture does not sog the batter.
3. 3In a large bowl whisk together the flour, both sugars, baking powder, most of the cinnamon, and the salt until no streaks remain.
4. 4In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth and slightly frothy. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until a thick, even batter forms with no dry pockets.
5. 5Fold the diced apples into the batter so they are evenly distributed. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula into an even layer that reaches the corners.
6. 6Melt the butter and brush it lightly over the surface of the batter. Stir the remaining cinnamon into the turbinado sugar and sprinkle the mixture generously across the top for a crackly crust.
7. 7Bake 28 to 32 minutes until the edges pull slightly from the pan, the center springs back when lightly pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
8. 8Cool the slab in the pan on a wire rack 20 minutes, then lift out using the parchment and cut into 6 neat rectangles. Serve warm or at room temperature; leftovers keep well for lunchboxes.