Apple Cream Cake
How many apples are in nine bushels of apples? (Have you ever wondered how many pickled peppers Peter Piper picked? - a similar question). A lot - as we discovered one fall apple-picking day when the harvest was obscenely abundant, the branches on the trees hanging low with fruit, all too accessible for the busy hands of our children.
After several days of peeling - developing the skill of paring the peel in one long rolling strip - and transforming the tart and the sweet flesh into applesauce, pie filling, cider, fritters (look for this apple favorite in a future blog) I was stumped. When February came the final survivors had to go and were finely thrown out of the vegetable crisper. Following is the recipe for a lovely apple alternative in the form of a rich, dense, buttery cake that enfolds a spiced apple filling.
apple cream cake
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt 2 large Granny Smith apples 3 tab. butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
APPLE FILLING:
-Peel and core 2 large Granny Smith apples and cut in to small chunks. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan and add apples. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves, 1/4 tsp. ground allspice, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook and stir frequently over medium heat until apples are soft and mixture is bubbly, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla extract and 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts. Set aside and let cool 15 minutes or until ready to use.
-In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each at high speed. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Gently fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
-Generously grease and flour a bundt pan or angel food cake pan. Spread in half of the batter. Spoon apple filling over the batter and smooth. Spread the remaining batter over the top of the apple filling.
-Bake 50 - 60 minutes in a 350 degree oven, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10-15 minutes and then invert onto a serving platter.
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
**This cake is also delicious with cherry or blueberry pie filling or a simple cinnamon-sugar-pecan filling.
**Don’t forget the nuts! Walnuts, pecans, or sliced almonds - you will enjoy the crunch!
