My mum recently passed away (a few days ago)*. My sister and I have been sorting, cleaning, laughing, and crying a bit.
We found a place to donate her hearing aides, her eyeglasses, her clothing... but that still leaves the remainder of a life to sort/assimilate/donate.
So much stuff. So many recipes. So many cookbooks. When I found her wooden recipe box of favorite recipies, I was really excited! I loved her chocolate chip cookies and a few other savory gems.
I don't know what I was looking for as I perused the index cards, but I found a recipe for Old World Apple Cake. It seemed like just the ticket for tea with folks dropping by to pay respects.
I made it and it was OK, but nothing special. And it was huge. So I'm going to make it better.
Updated Old World Apple Cake
Serves 4-6
2 green apples (Granny Smith) peeled and chopped in medium dice
Pro tip: Peel the apples. Position the peeled apple on a cutting board, stem side up. Cutting from top to bottom, cut the flesh away from the core in 4 segments, slightly decreasing in size. Then chop the segments into the desire size.
1-1/2 cups sugar (divided use)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon (or more if you really like cinnamon)
1-1/2 cups flour
fat pinch salt
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup orange juice (I used fresh squeezed cara cara orange juice, but any OJ will do)
2 eggs
1/2 cup olive oil
1-1/4 tsp vanilla
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Grease and flour a small dutch oven or 9"x9" baking dish. Set aside
Toss the chopped apples in 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, mix sugar, olive oil, orange juice, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add dry ingredients and beat until combined. Fold in apples with a spatula. Pour into greased/floured pan and bake for 90 minutes at 325 degrees F.
Turn out on a cooling rack.
I love the way it turned out. Moist and rich with chunks of cinnamon-y apples throughout.
Cheers!
Nancy
* February is hard on old people. An aunt and uncle both died in February, my besties mother passed in February, another older friend passed in February.
