Strawberry Apple Torte

I can barely believe that I've waited this long to share this recipe on Two Tarts. I've made this recipe umpteen times, but it has never been the same recipe twice. It is titled in my favorite cookbook as a "seasonal fruit torte" and four seasonal variations are included. This isn't one of them. That is the brilliance of this kind of recipe: entirely adaptable to whatever is in season or rolling around your fridge.

Aside from the fruit, the rest of the ingredients are pantry staples. This has become the ultimate dessert for an impromptu get-together. Give me an hour head's up, and I'll have this torte at the ready. As it turns out, all you have to do is arrange fruit in a pretty pattern and people are extremely impressed. (But hey, it also doesn't hurt that this simple cake tastes really good.)

So, obviously the recipe here is for a strawberry and apple torte. But here are some other ideas: strawberry-mango torte, summer plum or peach torte, autumnal gingered pear, wintry cranberry-apple. Play around with some spices, depending on the fruit. Also, lime might make more sense than lemon, or try orange. (I've also omitted the citrus juice and zest altogether - still great!)

Strawberry Apple Torte

adapted from Hay Day Country Market Cookbook

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 8 tbs (1 stick butter), room temperature

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• juice and zest from 1/2 lemon

• 1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries

• 1 apple, peeled and sliced

• 1 tsp granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter and flour an 8-in cake pan; pour out any excess flour.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside.
3. In another bowl, cream the butter and 3/4 cup sugar together until light and fluffy (easiest with a mixer, but I've had good results by hand too). Add the eggs and beat until smooth. Blend in the vanilla and zest. Add the reserved dry ingredients and mix to form a smooth, thick batter. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
4. Toss the fruit with the lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Arrange the topping decoratively over the batter, using just enough fruit to cover the batter in a single overlapping layer. Sprinkle with the last 1/2 tsp sugar, and bake in the middle of oven until lightly browned around the edges and just set in the middle, 30-35 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes.