Tuesdays with Dorie: Molasses Cake with Sugared Apples

Just two little days can change my culinary mood so much. As of yesterday, it's Autumn. I can't begin to express the tingly excitement of being a Tuesdays with Dorie baker during the Fall. Join in and bring a little bit bit of cinna-magic into your kitchen.
This week's assignment was a Dimply Plum Cake. Dimply. And last week we made Chocolate Chunkers. Chunkers. Dimply and Chunkers. Perhaps it was this not-so-subtle 2 week message that inspired me to make a lightened version of Dorie's cake. And that's not all I changed. Craving the flavors of fall, I added molasses, ginger, and cinnamon to the cake batter and covered the top with not plums, but sugared slices of September apple. With yogurt standing in for half the fat, this cake is guaranteed not to make you dimply or chunky- although I certainly wouldn't hold it against anyone and expect the same courtesy when necessary. A plain and unpretentious un-frosted cake, it's unbeatable with a cup of hot cider, or with a scoop of low fat vanilla cream. I have it on good authority, ahem, that is also superb for breakfast with a dollop of vanilla yogurt. But don't take my word for it. Make some yourself to welcome in the season of "the winnowing wind and soft-dying days."
Money Saving Tips: Apples have a very long life, if stored unbruised in a cool, dark place. I keep mine in the refrigerator, but if I had a cool basement, that's where they'd be.
Molasses Cake with Sugared Apples
Estimated Cost: $3.50
1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I used half whole wheat)
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs
1/3 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 or 3 large baking apples, thinly sliced
1 heaping tablespoon granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch baking dish. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. In a separate bowl, beat butter, sugar, and molasses until creamy. Add the eggs and beat well. Gently beat in yogurt and vanilla. Gently add dry ingredients, mixing only until blended. Scrape batter into prepared baking dish. Cover the top with apples and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 40 minutes. Coming Tomorrow:
Fall Vegetable and Pumpkin Chili