uncle bob's fresh apple cake

Friday night, my beloved Washington Nationals, who finished the regular season with the best record in baseball, lost game 5 in post-season play in the National League Division Series, against the St. Louis Cardinals. :(  For anyone who knows me, or if you've read my blog "about me" here, you know I've been a die-hard fan (slightly obsessed!) since they arrived in Washington, DC in 2005.  I never miss a game, whether it's TV, radio, or at Nationals Park.  The game ended in true heartbreak fashion.  Since I could go on and on, I won't bore you with all the details of the game, or how extremely special this season was!  I just want to congratulate and thank the team for an unbelievably wonderful year!  I want to thank them also for all the happiness and excitement the season brought me, and all their scores of fans.  I didn't want it to end, and can't wait until next spring when it begins all over again!  Thank you, Nationals!

photo courtesy of masnsports.com

Just like baseball, Uncle Bob's Fresh Apple Cake is as classic as they come!  This incredible recipe, with some slight changes I've made, is adapted from Paula Deen's delightful, The Deen Family Cookbook, and also found online here. When I brought this cake in to my devoted taste-testers, I was told it was one of the best cakes they had ever tasted!  In fact, I will be baking it again this week for a brunch, since everyone politely indicated they didn't get their fill! :)  Although Paula Deen bakes it in a bundt pan, I chose to create it in traditional coffee cake style.  A basic Nordic Ware coffee cake pan was used, identical to this one found here, which can purchased inexpensively anywhere.  This also eliminates the baking time by 30 minutes.

Yummy apples from a recent visit to the Leesburg, Virgina farmer's market.

Pleasantly sweet, dense and extremely moist, with chunky bites of apple, and crunchy toasted walnuts, describes this divine apple cake!  It has already been added to my list as one of my holiday breakfast or brunch cakes  for the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.  It's exactly what I look for in baking during a busy time - elegance, delectable, and easy preparation!

Honeycrisp Apples were used in my Uncle Bob's Fresh Apple Cake, and the lovely ingredient in this creation, I thought I'd give a few fun facts about!  This has become my absolute favorite choice for both a cooking and eating apple, since becoming readily available in the Virginia area over the past few years.  Honeycrisp is a cross-pollination of two delicious apple varieties, Macoun and Honeygold, the first seedling planted in 1962 as part of the University of Minnesota apple breeding program.  It wasn't until 1991 that it was released to commercial nurseries for propagation.  The Honeycrisp is best grown in colder areas of the country, namely Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, upstate New York, and New England.  It's exceptionally  crisp and juicy, and stores well in the refrigerator for several weeks without losing its outstanding flavor.  I highly recommend it!

It's fall, it's apple season, the weather is much cooler, time to turn on your oven and bake!  Uncle Bob's Fresh Apple Cake gives your home a delicious, warm, aromatic scent…a great recipe to begin your fall baking!

Until next time…mangia!  xox

Carol 

Uncle Bob's Fresh Apple Cake with Honey Glaze

Serves 8 to 12

Ingredients:

for the honey glaze:
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons milk

for the apple cake:
3 cups diced granny smith apples (I used honey crisp)
1 cup lightly toasted chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I used vanilla bean paste)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1-1/4 cups vegetable oil (I always use canola)
3 eggs

Create the Apple Cake and Honey Glaze:

prepare the honey glaze:
Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and stir until smooth.  Cover with plastic wrap and set the bowl aside.  (This will thicken up as it sets.)

prepare the apple cake:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Lightly grease or spray a bundt or coffee cake pan.  Baking times will vary for pan used, noted below.

In a bowl, mix together the diced apples, toasted chopped walnuts, vanilla, and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Using an electric mixer beat the sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl.  Add in the dry ingredients and beat until completely combined.  Fold in the apple mixture.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.  The batter is going to be thick.  If you are using a coffee cake pan, as I did, place the pan on center rack and cook for 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  (If you are using a bundt pan, the recipe states to bake for 1-1/2 hours, or until a tester inserted in to the middle of the cake comes out clean. See Carol's note below.)

Allow the cake to fully cool in the pan, about 1 hour, and then turn it out onto a plate.

Drizzle the apple cake with the honey glaze!  The cake can be wrapped tightly and stored in refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Carol's notes:

Paula Deen does not call for peeling the apples.  I chose to peel mine.

I used a coffee cake pan, and baked the cake for 1 hour; therefore, I can't verify the  1-1/2 hours called for baking time if using a bundt pan.  Personally, I think that seems a bit long, so if using a bundt pan, start checking for doneness at 1-1/4 hours.

This cake tasted even more delicious the second day, if that is possible! :)  So feel free to prepare a day in advance and put the cooled, wrapped cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  You can wait until the day you are going to serve to prepare the glaze.  Make the glaze a couple hours in advance so it has a chance to set up and thicken slightly.  Drizzle the cake with the glaze before serving.  Enjoy!!!