Grandma's Apple Cake

This is my dad's favorite cake.  (At least, it was when I was growing up - his tastes may have changed by now.)  It's moist, flavorful and has Caramel Fudge Icing (how can you go wrong with that?), not to mention it's a great way to use apples that are going wrinkly!

I've always called this cake, “Raw Apple Cake”, (it uses “raw apples” instead of applesauce) but my husband mocks that name so strongly (“it's cooked, it's not raw!”) that I've updated that name for this post.  With the name change come some of my own tweaks to the recipe as well:  

The original recipe calls for 2 cups of granulated sugar; I've changed that to be brown and white sugar - I like the depth of flavor that brown sugar provides.  

I'm sure that “cold coffee” was an easy ingredient for Grandma - they always drank coffee in the morning - but I never have any.  Instead, I generally use half apple juice, half water; but and milk, water, juice, or combination thereof works as well.  

Grandma's recipe also calls for raisins and walnuts, but since I much prefer dried cranberries and pecans, that's what I use - I really like the color and the tartness that cranberries provide, and I just like pecans better.  Use your own preferences to personalize your cake.

Grandma's Apple Cake:

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1 c unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 c granulated sugar

3/4 c brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 c cold coffee or other liquid

3 c all purpose flour

1 t cloves

1 t baking soda

2 t cinnamon

1/4 t salt

1 c dried cranberries or raisins (optional)

1 c chopped pecans or other nuts (optional)

2 raw apples, cubed

For the icing:

1/3 c unsalted butter

1/4 c milk

1 c brown sugar

2 c powdered sugar, sifted if desired

1 1/2 t vanilla

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Assemble your ingredients.  If your flour is prone to lumpiness, sift it into a bowl (measure before sifting) and add the spices, salt, and soda.  If it's not prone to lumps, there's no need for sifting.  Set aside.

Note: in the steps that follow, take your time. You're trying to incorporate the liquids and the flour together to make something moist but not gooey, so you really want everything well combined!

Beat the butter with the sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until thoroughly combined. 

Add one egg, and beat until combined.  

Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat again.  Repeat with the second egg.

Add one third of the flour mixture (I use my one-cup measuring cup to scoop a cup of the mixture out and add it to the bowl), and mix until just incorporated. Don't mix too much! If you over-beat the flour, your cake could turn dry and tough.

Scrape the sides of the bowl.  Add one-half of the liquid and mix until incorporated.

Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and liquid (end with flour), scraping the bowl between additions.

Add the apples, cranberries, and nuts.  Stir until just combined - you may do this by hand if it's too lumpy for your mixer.

Pour the batter into a 9”x13” pan and spread evenly.

Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cake springs back immediately when you touch it.  Cool on a cooling rack while preparing the icing.

For the icing:

Assemble the ingredients.  If you want to sift your powdered sugar after measuring, do so.  You will likely have fewer lumps in the icing that way, but you will still have lumps...if you don't want to sift, don't worry about it!

Melt the butter with the milk and brown sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine ingredients.  

Increase the heat slightly (medium-high), bring to a boil, and boil for two minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scalding.

Cool slightly (just enough for the bubbles to subside) and add powdered sugar and vanilla.  

Your end result should be a light caramel color, but be prepared for it to be lumpy!  The lumps are almost impossible to get rid of because you need to work quickly before your icing is too cool (thick) to spread.  Don't worry - it tastes so good, no one will notice the lumps after the first bite.  (If the lumps really bother you, feel free to experiment with using a whisk or adding the powdered sugar very slowly to try to eliminate them!)

Working quickly, pour the warm icing over the cooled cake.  Do your best to scoop as much of the icing out of the pan as you can the first time - any icing left in the pan once the majority is gone will rapidly become too thick to spread.  

Once the icing is entirely cool, either cut and serve the cake, or cover with plastic wrap and store.  It will keep well at room temperature for about three days, and in the fridge for up to a week.

Written By: Barbara