Buckwheat, Apple, and Brandy Cake

This cake is an homage to Brittany, one of the French regions, along with Normandy, known for cider. Savory buckwheat crêpes, a long-standing tradition in Brittany, are always served with hard cider.

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup buckwheat flour
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 4 oz. (1 stick) salted butter, softened
• 1¼ cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup low-fat sour cream, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup apple brandy, optional
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 apples, peeled, halved, and cut into 16 slices each
• ¼ cup apple jelly

1 | Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
2 | Whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Set aside.
3 | Cream butter and sugar in bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time until mixture is smooth. Beat in sour cream, brandy (if using), and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture, and increase mixer speed to medium-high. Beat 3 minutes, or until batter is light and creamy.
4 | Spread batter in prepared pan, and top with apple slices. Bake 45 minutes
to 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes on wire rack.
5 | Unmold cake, invert onto wire rack so apples are on top once more, and cool completely.
6 | Melt apple jelly in microwave until liquid. Brush cake with apple jelly to glaze.