A couple of weeks ago, I made Jeff drive an hour to go apple picking with me. We picked about 10 apples. Looking back, it would have been much easier just to run to the market for such a small quantity...but what fun is that? None. And, the grocery store doesn't sell funnel cake. Just one of the many bonuses to picking your own apples.
This was Jeff's favorite apple that he picked all day. I was surprised as you that he had a favorite apple.
Here he is walking amongst the apple trees....Look! I think he spotted another one!
I decided to turn to my good friend, Dorie Greenspan, for a recipe. This recipe produces a moist, delicious cake. Just one bit of advice: don't forget to butter your bundt. I'm thinking of having t-shirts printed.
Double Apple Bundt Cake
Dorie Greenspan
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup store-bought apple butter, spiced or plain
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and grated
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (I toasted them, also)
For the caramel glaze:
1/2 stick butter (4 tablespoons)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Center a rack in the oven and preheat oven to 350ยบ F. Butter and flour a 9-10 inch bundt pan. Don’t place pan on a baking sheet; you want the oven’s heat to circulate through the bundt’s inner tube.
Whisk together the dry ingredients, flour through salt.
Working with stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping the bowl as needed, for 3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth, thick, and pale. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition; you’ll have a light, fluffy batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the apple butter – don’t worry if it curdles the batter. Still on low, add the grated apples and mix to completely blend. Add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the nuts and raisins. Turn the batter into the bundt pan and smooth the top of the batter with the spatula.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. (This took a little longer in my oven.) Transfer the cake to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding and frosting with caramel glaze. Cool completely before serving. Greenspan says cake is better if allowed to ripen for one day.
To make glaze: Bring butter, sugar, and milk to boil for 5 minutes, remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour over hot cake. This really runs so put strips of wax paper under the edges of the cake.
Editor's Note: I didn't make the glaze. As you can see from the photo below, in my case, I don't think the glaze really would have helped my situation.
