My All-Time, Very Best, Classic Apple Cake

 

This nearly perfect (okay, I actually think it is perfect, but I don’t want to set your expectations up quite so high) cake is surprisingly simple to prepare. In fact, it is a wonderful recipe to make with young children who can toss the apples, sugar and cinnamon and arrange the sliced apples on top.

The cake is made with olive oil,which keeps it moist, while still allowing for a fine, tender crumb. The olive oil also contributes lots of heart healthy monounsaturated fat and keeps the saturated fat very low. But honestly, even if this cake were the unhealthiest thing I’d ever eaten, I would still make it– it’s that good.

Share the sweet pleasure of eating it with family and friends gathered around the table…and may your year ahead be filled with many other shared pleasures and much good health.

L’Shana Tovah!

 

 

Apple Cinnamon Cake

Olive oil gives this cake rich, moist texture and a fine crumb. Don’t use extra virgin, which will change the flavor.

2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar
5 apples, sliced
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Combine the cinnamon and brown sugar; toss with the apples until thoroughly coated
3. Combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, oil, orange juice and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, beat until smooth.
4. Pour about half the batter into the prepared pan; top with about half the apples. Add the remaining batter and arrange the remaining apples decoratively on top. Drizzle the juices remaining in the apple bowl evenly over the apples.
5. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 75 minutes. Cool in the pan on rack at least 30 minutes.
6. Run a knife along the edge. Place the wire rack over the cake, invert it, and tap firmly on the counter to release it. Place a plate over the cake and invert it again to serve.

Makes 16 servings

Nutritional analysis for each serving: 346 calories, 4 g protein, 50 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 15 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 329 mg sodium