Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9” cake pan and line it with a piece of parchment paper.

Step 2

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the apples. Season with a pinch of salt. Let the apple sauté until starting to caramelize, about 5-6 minutes.

Step 3

Add the maple syrup and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn the heat off and transfer the apples & syrup to a bowl. Let cool slightly. Wipe out the skillet.

Step 4

Add the butter to the skillet and let melt over medium heat. Turn the heat to low and continue to cook for a couple of minutes until browned and fragrant. Let cool slightly.

Step 5

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk until incorporated. In a separate bowl, crack and beat the eggs. Whisk in the ricotta cheese, browned butter, and vanilla extract.

Step 6

In two batches, use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth (don’t over-mix). Lastly, fold in ¾ of the apples and all of the maple syrup. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Arrange the remaining apples across the cake.

Step 7

Bake the cake on the middle rack in the oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until just cooked through. Remove the pan from the oven and let the cake cool for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, lift the parchment paper to retrieve the cake.

Step 8

Cut into slices. Serve warm or at room temperature with a sprinkle of raw sugar and a drizzle of warm maple syrup.