We live just down the road from an amazing “Pick Your Own” Farm and Apple Orchard…and with two energetic boys that means that every fall brings multiple visits.. which in turn equates to an excessive number of apples. This is one of my favorite recipes to deal with the apple overload. It is dense and rich with apple cinnamon flavors and freezes well which makes it perfect in my book. Enjoy!
JEWISH APPLE CAKE
INGREDIENTS
- 6 Cups Peeled / Cored and Sliced Thinly Sliced Apples (about 3 large apples or 6 small apples- MacIntosh, Granny Smith or other tart apples work great for this recipe)
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 4 Teaspoons cGround Cinnamon
- 3 cups All urpose Flour, sifted
- 1 Tablespoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 1/2 Cups Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Cup Canola Oil
- 1/2 Cup Orange Juice
- 2 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup Roasted & Chopped Pecans (optional)
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat Oven to 350 degrees with rack in center position.
- Grease and flour a standard size Tube pan with removable center.
- In a bowl: combine apple slices with ground cinnamon and 1 cup sugar and set aside.
- In a separate bowl: Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer: Beat eggs with 1 1/2 cups sugar and light brown sugar until creamy and combined thoroughly.
- On Slow – Medium speed alternately add the dry ingredients and the oil to the mixer. Then add the orange juice and vanilla extract.
- Beat on medium speed for approx. 1 minute and scrape down the edges to insure the mixture is fully incorporated.
- Spoon 1/3rd of the batter into the prepared pan. I use my fingers to sort of spread the batter mixture around evenly.
- Remix your set aside apple slices tonsure that any liquid that has settled is combined. It will be quite wet but that is O.K.
- Layer 1/3rd of the apple slices (and nuts if using) on top of the batter.
- Repeat 2 more times with a layer of batter, a layer of apples, a layer of batter and a final layer of apples. (if you are using nuts add this into your layers as well.
- Carefully spoon the remaining cinnamon / apple juice from your apple bowl over the top of the cake.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and place tube pan in center (this cake sometimes oozes a bit from the pan so I am trying to save you the burnt sugar smell here 🙂
- Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 hours (or until a skewer comes out clean).
- Remove pan from oven and from foil sheet. Set aside for approx. 15 – 20 minutes to cool.
- Carefully loosen the sides of the cake with a sharp knife by running the knife around the inside of the pan.
- Gently jiggle the cake free from the outer pan and then from the center tube.
- Let cool apple side up on a wire rack.
- Store the cake wrapped in foil. If freezing then tightly wrap in plastic wrap and then foil prior to freezing.