I know fall is technically apple cake season. Or apple season. Whatever.
But yesterday was cold and rainy in Dallas, so I had a bizarre craving for a comforting, moist apple cake. And why cake vs. pie? Because I’m intimated by the pie crust process – especially on a weeknight. And technically, I feel like it’s more of a bread than a cake, or at least that’s what I tell myself so I feel okay eating it for breakfast.
This is originally a Smitten Kitchen recipe, with just a few small adjustments. It’s actually a pretty cake, overflowing with apples – it’s literally 70% apples, 30% cake. Definitely a crowd pleaser, and can be served with tea or with ice cream. I choose ice cream, but to each their own.
Smitten Kitchen’s Mom’s Apple Cake
6 apples, McIntosh apples (or your choice)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar
2 3/4 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan or bundt pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.
Stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean.
