Apple Cinnamon Coffeecake

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 crisp apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until they are light. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture, alternately with the milk, beating well to form a thick batter.

Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Spoon half of the batter into the pan and top with sliced apples. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle the apples with half the cinnamon sugar. Spoon dollops of the remaining batter over the apples and spread with an offset spatula.

Stir almonds into the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture, and sprinkle over the top of the cake. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.

Yield: one 9-inch coffee cake