The Best Apple Cake Ever! ( and a little American apple history)

On a cool, fall day last week, there was a heavenly aroma permeating my humble kitchen. The scent of apples and cinnamon hovered in the air for awhile even after the oven was turned off. I had just made my favorite Apple Cake, a recipe given to me by my Mother-in-law when my husband and I were first married. This moist, cinnamony cake is a favorite in our family (except for those who don't like nuts), and I always look forward to making it- and eating it! As I was eating my first piece of this luscious cake, I began wondering about the history of apples in America. Why? I don't know. I mean, I remember reading about Johnny Appleseed in school, but was there more? So I did a quick google search and found an interesting article at What's Cooking America, called, "History and Legends of Apples",written by Linda Stradley. She has done some research on this delicious fruit which was so interesting to read. Actually, the first apple seeds to arrive in America were in the 17th century! One of the first instances was when William Blackstone arrived in Massachusetts from Europe in 1623. He carried a bag of apple seeds with him and planted an orchard on Beacon hill in Boston, among other places. The early settlers even had to import honey bees! Anyway, by 1640 nearly all landowners had planted apple trees. According to her article, there are over 7000 varieties of apples in the U.S.! Amazing! If you like history, check out this site. Now, let's get to this delicious recipe so you can make it!

APPLE CAKE

4 cup of coarse, chopped apples (any baking apple works)

2 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup oil

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup chopped nuts ( I always use pecans)

In a large bowl, mix the apples and sugar together. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nuts together. I know this sounds strange, but trust me. I've been making this for years and this is the easiest way. Stir the apples; the sugar will be liquefying by now. To the apples and sugar, add the eggs, oil and vanilla and mix well. This is a very thick dough that is loaded with apples. If you noticed, there isn't a lot of liquid in this cake. Most of the moistness comes from the apples. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for about 1 hour. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely before serving. This is best made early in the day you are planning on serving it. This cake needs a few hours to develop its moistness.

The original recipe called for 2 tablespoons of vanilla! As you noticed, I've cut it down to 2 tsp. which is enough. The day of baking, the cake will be crusty on top, but as the day wears on the cake develops its moistness from the apples. Each day, this Apple Cake gets more moist. This is more a snack cake, but I like to make Caramel Sauce to drizzle over the top to dress it up some. Now that is a decadent touch! I guess you can tell from the pictures that I got carried away with the caramel. But it was sooo good! I'll give you the Caramel Sauce recipe my next post. Have a great weekend!