Apple Cake

 

Time, oh where do you go? Sometimes you just slip away. Well, I am back and on top of my game. A few weeks of traveling left me with little time for sharing recipes. However, my arsenal is full and good posts are to come!

About a month ago I decided I should try a recipe that has been on my radar for a while - Jewish Apple Cake. After toying with the idea of doing some moderate catering again, I unearthed a recipe for Mom's Apple Cake from Smitten Kitchen. Breads, cakes, and sweets of Eastern Europe are one of the areas I am focusing more on. And this one was right up my alley!

My changes included using Braeburn and Fiji apples, brown sugar instead of white in the cinnamon mixture then half and half of each for the main recipe, applesauce instead of oil, adding 1 teaspoon of almond extract, and I completely forgot the orange juice (go me). Hence I am not sure I can call it a true Jewish Apple Cake, but it was damn good anyway. I was planning on adding an orange glaze, for which I have supplied the recipe below, but didn't end up using it. Enjoy!

PS - Figured you would love the view from my kitchen. A little feathered lady friend! 

Apple Cake

• 6 apples, Braeburn and Fiji work great 
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 5 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 3/4 cups flour, sifted
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup applesauce
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond extracdt 
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together applesauce, sugar, almond extract, and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes or until the cake naturally separates from the pan. Finish cooling on a rack.

If you opt for an orange glaze to sweeten things up, mix 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup orange juice , and 1 teaspoon of vanilla together. Whisk until well incorporated and thickened. Add more powdered sugar if needed to thicken the consistency. Drizzle it over the completely cooled cake and allowed to set before serving.