Apple Cake from the Catskills
Source: Maida Heatter's Best Dessert Book Ever (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 121.
Well, I blundered a bit on this recipe but it did not affect the deliciousness of the cake. I was getting ready to put the batter in the pan and I realized that I had not used the reserved sugar and spice mixture. I quickly looked over the recipe but could find no mention of what to do with the reserved sugar mix. Thinking there was a mistake, I just added the sugar mixture to the batter and mixed it in. Sloppiness on my part, I confess, because after I looked at the recipe a third time, there it was - the sugar mix was supposed to have been sprinkled over the layer of apples in the pan. Oh well, like I said, the cake was wonderful anyway. This does bring up an important step - read the entire recipe before you begin. I read the recipe about a week before I made it and should have re-read the thing before starting.
I used Granny Smith apples and brandy for the recipe (you can use any tart apple and instead of brandy - Calvados, applejack or apple juice).
3 cups sifted unbleached flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 3/4 (5-6 medium-sized) tart apples
4 large eggs
1 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup Calvados, applejack, brandy or apple juice
2 oz. walnuts, cut into medium-sized pieces
1/2 cup raisins
Confectioners sugar (to sprinkle on top before serving)
Preheat the oven to 350. Use a large Bundt pan or a tube pan (with 13-14 cup capacity). Butter the pan and dust it with fine bread crumbs.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside.
Peel and core the apples and cut them into small pieces.
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| Mix 1/3 cup of the sugar (reserving the remaining 2 cups) with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. |
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| Beat the eggs in the mixer. Beat in the oil, vanilla and brandy. |
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| Add the 2 cups of plain sugar. |
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| On low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients until smooth. |
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| Pour half of the batter (about 2 cups) into the pan, smooth the top and sprinkle with half of the walnuts, raisins, apples and cinnamon sugar. |
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Repeat with the remaining batter, walnuts, raisins, apples and cinnamon sugar. |
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| Cover the pan tightly with foil. |
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| Bake for 25 minutes, remove the foil, and bake for another hour. Cover the pan loosely with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning. (The recipe says to bake for 1 hour and 40-50 minutes - this is way too long!). Check the cake with a tester - it will be done with the tester comes out clean. |
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| Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then
cover with a flat plate and flip it to remove. Let cool completely and
sprinkle with confectioners sugar. |