Janis' Apple Cake

Many years ago my friend Janis gave me this recipe for apple cake.  Since then it has become my go-to Rosh Hashanah dessert.  This cake keeps beautifully so you can make it a day or two ahead of time and it's just as delicious for days afterward.  It's even nice to serve for a weekend brunch.

Ready to go into the oven.

I have no idea where Janis originally got this recipe, but over the years I've fiddled with it a bit.  To to fair, Janis had already done some fiddling when she gave the recipe to me.   The cake originally called for 2 1/3 cups of sugar, which is a lot of sugar so Janis cut it back to 1 3/4 cups which seems to be perfect.  The recipe calls for 5 apples but I often through in an extra apple or two, just to make it extra apple-y.  I also add the zest of one orange in addition to the orange juice.

What better way is there to ring in the new year than with a little something sweet.


Recipe:  Janis' Apple Cake


Ingredients:


5 to 6 apples, peeled and sliced (I use Granny Smith apples)
5 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups all purpose flour, unsifted
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs, unbeaten
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup orange juice
Zest of 1 orange

Directions:


Preheat the oven to 350.

Toss the apples with 5 tablespoons of sugar and the cinnamon.  Set aside.

Combine flour, sugar, salt, eggs and oil in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Using the paddle attachment, mix for 1 minute on low speed and then increase speed to medium and continue beating for an additional 3 minutes.  Add the baking soda and baking powder and beat for one minute more at medium speed.

Grease a tube pan and fill with alternating layers of batter and apples (3 layers of batter and 2 layers of apples) beginning and ending with the batter.  Bake for 1 hour or until a tester comes out clean.