Maple Apple Walnut Cake

• ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled at room temperature, plus more for the pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1¼ cups pure maple syrup
• ½ cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• ½ cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly grease a 9" round, 2" deep cake pan with butter, line the bottom with a round of parchment paper, and lightly grease again.  Dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, syrup, milk, eggs and vanilla, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in apples and walnuts until until well incorporated, then transfer to prepared pan and spread out evenly.  If you'd like, arrange some of the apples in the batter into a decorative spiral pattern on top.
• Bake until cake is deep golden brown and springs back in the middle when touched, 60-70 minutes.  Set aside until cool enough to handle.  Loosen edges with a knife and transfer to a large plate, discarding parchment paper.