Fall is well upon us, and what better way to celebrate it’s crisp sunny days than to be out in an apple orchard picking away? Today’s blog is brought to you by Guest Blogger Sonya – apple picker and apple chef extraordinaire… 
For me, when the air temperatures change and the early mornings are chilly and turn into sunny days where layers are peeled off, my mind turns to my favorite fall ingredient – apples.
So diverse is this fruit that we can use it in many types of dishes from pork to stuffing and my favorite – dessert. My family conducted its’ annual picking on one of those picture perfect Fall days; we left with warm jackets and to no one’s surprise, I was carrying 5 of them halfway into our foray through the orchards. The children tried several new varietals of apples – Stayman, Winesap and Ida Reds (primarily a tart cooking apple) and determined their favorite to be Jonagold. In the words of my 8 year old the morning after picking, “can I have one of those apples for breakfast, they taste like candy!” Now there’s an endorsement.
So, once back with 10 pounds of apples, what does one do?! For my family a fast favorite has become “Apple Cake” – a wonderful recipe passed to me from a dear colleague, Rose, who heralds from upstate New York’s apple country. Her recipe calls for the use of Granny Smiths, but in my latest cake, I’ve used a blend of the apples we picked over the weekend and it was still fantastic. The cake will feel like brick since 50% of the ingredients are apples.
Apple Cake
6 Granny Smith apples (or other varietals that cook well)
3 cups of flour
1 ¼ cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla
1 cup oil
3 eggs
Optional: ½ cup raisins, ½ cup chopped walnuts
Peel, core and dice apples into a medium bowl. In large bowl, combine all other ingredients. Then mix apples (raisins and walnuts) into other ingredients. Mixture will be thick.
Pour into greased bundt or angel food cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool on wired rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto a plate. When completely cooled, make lemon drizzle:
½ cup powdered sugar mixed with lemon juice until a thin glaze consistency.
Drizzle and enjoy!
So, wise women, do you have any great apple dishes to share??
10-10-2008 09:52:47
This looks great. I was just given my great aunt’s metal bundt cake pan – heavy as all go get – and this would be the perfect recipe to try it out. Although I might need help lifting the pan with the combined weight.
10-12-2008 11:21:03
My go-to apple dessert is Apple Crisp. Chopped apples, brown sugar, oats and butter thrown into a 9×9″ pan. Doesn’t get much easier than that.
Years ago, I made an apple pie on Thanksgiving. Later that day, I watched my mother-in-law take the first bite of my good-looking pie (if I do say so myself). Then her whole face scrunched up as she choked out, “Tart!” and pushed the plate away. I had forgotten to add sugar. I have not made a pie, apple or otherwise, since that traumatizing experience!