Everybody’s Jewish Apple Cake
Some people deal with crisis with a long nap, others with a bottle of scotch. I like to bake. Baking is exact and structured. It gives me control when everything else in the world is falling apart. One cup of flour will always be one cup of flour, with or without a job.
Don’t get me wrong, not all baking is easy and rewarding. Trust me, my delicate ego could not have handled a lumpy custard or a deflated souffle. But this apple cake is foolproof. It uses ingredients that most people have on hand. After you’ve sliced up the apples, the rest is as easy as baking from a boxed mix.
I got the recipe from a Jewish holiday baking book my dear friend Erin lent me a while ago. This was the first recipe I tried from the book, and I knew immediately that it would be a keeper. The cake is moist and tender. The apple slices soften as they bake, melting into the batter like gooey cinnamon apple butter. Apples are ubiquitous right now. Try the recipe with different varieties and see which is your favorite.
This unpretentious cake is perfect for a family dinner. Topped with a dollop of whipped cream, it becomes fancy enough for company. Or just make it for yourself on a gloomy day. I hope it brightens up yours like it did mine.
Everybody’s Jewish Apple Cake
Adapted from “A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking” by Marcy Goldman
- Apples, peeled and sliced, 8 cups, about 4 large apples
- Sugar, 2 cups
- Groud cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons
- Vegetable oil, 3/4 cup
- Eggs, 3 large
- Orange Juice, 1 cup
- Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
- All-purpose flour, 2 1/2 cups
- Salt, 1/4 teaspoon
- Baking powder, 2 teaspoons
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking pan, or a 10-inch spring form pan.
In a large bowl, toss the apples with the cinnamon and 1/2 cup of sugar.
Mix the oil with the remaining sugar. Whisk in the eggs, then the orange juice and vanilla. Fold in the flour, salt and baking power. Mix gently until smooth.
Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. Add the apples. Pour in the remaining batter.
Bake until cake is crusty and set on top, about 45 minutes.
The cake keeps for about two days. It’s delicious cold, but I like to heat up a slice in the microwave.
Hey Erica – It makes me feel good that my grandma’s cookbook brought you a little comfort this day. That’s what good food and friends should do.
… Good things are in store for you, Erica!
Hi Erica:
I got laid off from the same place. Never been happier in my life.
We went out and had a celebratory dinner that night. No more power-driven people with hidden agendas.