Nonny’s Apple Cake Recipe

Yep, it’s baking time. And I bought too many apples, because that good lookin’ $12 half bushel of Ginger Golds from King Orchards was IRRESISTIBLE.

Here’s my favorite apple cake recipe. I really generally don’t care for baked apple products, but this one is . . . oh good lord. . . you gotta try it. My mom got the recipe from Emma Ellison in Eastport, way back in the 70’s. Mom used to make it for dad’s birthday every year. Sometimes I still do. It’s stupid easy – great recipe for the kids to try out their baking skills.

I’ve added some spices, and I use both brown and granulated sugars. You can doll it up to your liking. I’ve used oil or butter; both are delicious. If you use butter, you may need to adjust the amount of salt you add (unless, of course, you’re using unsalted butter). I’m guessing you could even use applesauce or bananas for some of the sweet / fat ingredients.

This recipe yields one 9×13 glass baking pan. You can also use it as a muffin batter, or dress it up with a crumb topping. Once it’s cooled, sifting powdered sugar through a doily is a cutesy old fashioned thing to do.

The apple cake is best about 15 minutes out of the oven. The edges will be crusty and chewy, and the cake is moist and dense. It’s also great for the next few days, if there’s any left. Just cover pan with foil or film wrap.

Bake at 350 for approximately 50 minutes. Kinda depends on exactly how many apples you use, and how much moisture they contain. Cake is done when it’s deep golden brown, the edges start to pull away from the pan, and the center has puffed up and is set.

Nonny’s Apple Cake Recipe

4 cups diced apples – I usually quarter them or cut in 8ths, depending upon size of apples, then slice. Don’t peel!
1 c granulated sugar
1 c brown sugar, loosely packed
3/4 c oil
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla
2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt (I like a high quality sea salt best)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
sprinkle ground cloves
sprinkle ground nutmeg
couple sprinkles ground coriander
1 c chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, of course)

I suggest you use a large mixing bowl and do this by hand with a big ol’ wooden spoon or rubber spatula; I’ve never bothered with a mixer for this cake. The batter is dense and lumpy and it will look like there is absolutely NO way it’s going to turn out. . . but it will.

Stir together flour, sugars, spices, soda and salt.

Slice apples and stir into dry ingredients to coat them.

Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla at once, and stir gently just until combined.

Bake, eat, and feel the love.