Thursday 7 October 2004

Award Winning Apple Cake

Apple Cake
I am such a sucker for "award-winning recipes" in magazines. Once I see that heading in a publication then I grab it as if somebody's out to beat me to it. I try most of the recipes and so far about 90% came up trumps. This one is from the magazine ... ah ... I can't remember coz I cutout just the recipe itself. I'm sure it's a US edition. It must be either Good Housekeeping or Red Letter or Family Circle - take your pick. It is touted as a "top winner at the Central Washington State Fair last year". What year it was I ain't got a clue - probably 1994. Great baker who made this is named Myrna Myhowich. So Myrna, wherever you are thanks for this recipe.

I'm thinking it was originally named a 'bread' maybe because it is baked in a loaf pan? The finished product is quite sweet so I took the liberty of changing the name to a 'cake'. I also reduced the sugar by 1/4 cup, increased the vanilla, and I normally do not put topping or walnuts and it still comes out good. Don't worry if the batter is quite hard to stir - it really is like that. This is definitely a family favourite often requested by my children. Problem is, once it comes out of the oven they are on it like vultures! ::LOL::



Yakima Valley Apple-Cinnamon Cake

2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp fine salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup [125 g] butter - at room temperature
2 eggs - slightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp grated unwaxed lemon or orange rind (optional)
2 large Golden Delicious apples - cored, peeled, & chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

*Topping:
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  1. Preheat oven to 180C/fan 160C/350F. Grease bottom (not sides) of a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.
  2. Sift together flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
  3. For the topping: combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.
  4. Beat together sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and lemon rind in a large bowl for 1 1/2 minutes until light and fluffy.
  5. By hand, stir in flour mixture, being careful not to overmix.
  6. Stir in apple and nuts (if using). Spoon batter into prepared pan. (Optional) Sprinkle topping evenly over top of batter.
  7. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes or until loaf is browned, begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a skewer poked in the middle comes out clean.
  8. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen loaf around edge with a metal spatula and invert; turn right side up. Cool completely.

6 comments:

ting-aling said...

Naku, 'will definitely try this. Apple sa salad, apple sa scones, apple sa lunch bag, ano pa..hehe suki ako ng intsik na nagbebenta ng $1 per bag. Nag shri-shrink ang aking mga anak pag nabili ako..cheap ko daw..irregular sizes lang naman sila straight from the crate.

celia kusinera said...

hi Ting, yes apples and more apples this time of the year. I might try your apple raisin scones.

Manang said...

Celia, tamang-tama ito kasi now that it is apple season, laging maraming uwing apples ang asawa ko.

Ting-aling, mas cheap ako sa yo. Pag me reject sa orchard (insect/bird bites, bruises), inuuwi ng asawa ko yun ($0 per bag. Haha! Cooking apples is how they call it kasi they these for baked/cooked dishes, also in making cider hindi kasi attractive on the shelf.

celia kusinera said...

Hi Manang, what variety of cooking apples do you have? Funny about those cheap or free apples, my FIL does similar. Laman siya ng Divisoria kaya pag Xmas season at maraming apples sasabihin niya sa mga tindera, 'Oy akin na lang iyang mga bulok na itatapon nyo may babuyan kasi ako.' So ibibigay naman sa kanya hindi nila alam inaalis lang niya yung parteng bulok then ipapakain niya sa mga 'baboy' niya - yung 7 niyang anak! hehehe!

JMom said...

LOL!! Hey ladies, its not being cheap, it's being frugal (nice way of saying kuripot). Hehe, guilty of being 'frugal' myself. My kids can't ever tell the apples were bruised or not once they are in a pie or in a cake, so why not save a few cents. Love this recipe, by the way, Celia. I'm going to try it too.
I like that you only stir it by hand. I hate taking out the mixer and having to wash all the implements.

celia kusinera said...

Hello there Jmom, maybe I don't consider myself frugal pero I really hate waste so I too salvage our bruised and overripe fruits and make into cakes or breads.

Actually the recipe says beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. I thought that means an electric mixer but I do it all by hand and it still comes out good.