My great aunt and uncle often visit Ohio in the fall. They live in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, although my great uncle was born and raised in Canton, Ohio. Aunt Pat and Uncle Herb always tour Amish Country when they are home, and they always leave for Oklahoma with baskets and bags of fresh Ohio apples. My great aunt usually made one of these delicious apple spice cakes before she went home, and we finally persuaded her to give us the recipe a few years back.
This cake freezes well, and also makes great, moist cupcakes. If you have a big autumn party coming up, it’s a great cake to make, since you can bake and serve it in the same 9-inch by 13-inch pan, and it’s so tasty that everyone loves it. This cake uses plenty of seasonal apples too! Use different varieties of apples until you find the taste combination you and the family prefer.
Apple Spice Cake
5 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
6 tablespoons vanilla flavoring*
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs (or 4 ounces Egg Beaters)
2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt (may be omitted if on salt-free diet)
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins (optional)
Place chopped apples in bowl and pour flavoring over apples, set aside.
Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and cloves together into 4-cup measuring cup. Stir well to integrate.
In mixing bowl, beat together sugar, vegetable oil and eggs. Once well combined and slightly fluffy, slowly stir in the dry ingredients until combined. Do not dump in the dry ingredients and stir in, or cake will be tough. Stir in apple mixture.
Pour batter into greased 13″x9″ pan. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour, or until cake tests done with cake tester inserted into center.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Top with whipped cream, hard sauce, vanilla ice cream or cream cheese icing.
*More adventurous folks can add brandy or rum flavorings. We’ve heard there are folks who add actual liquours too, but my family sticks with the flavorings.
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When do you add the apples?
Ann: Thank you for your sharp eyes! The apples are added after the egg mixture and flour mixture are well incorporated.