Linda Weisberg

Food Editor’s Note:  This is a wonderful cake to serve in the fall during apple season.  It is perfect for a Rosh HaShanah dessert or for any special occasion.  The layers of apple are visible after baking and look beautiful in the rich cake.  Linda recommends Granny Smith apples and, although she usually glazes the cake, for a less sweet (and pareve) version you can just sprinkle with powdered sugar for a pretty presentation.  Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an extra treat.  This cake is simple to make, and can be baked in advance and kept in the refrigerator for a day or two or frozen. I am definitely including it in my Rosh Hashanah dessert buffet!

Ingredients

Cake:

6 apples, pared and sliced thin

5 tablespoons plus 2 cups sugar

5 teaspoons cinnamon

3 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup oil

4 eggs

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a bundt or tube pan. [Food editor: I used a 10-inch bundt pan.]

Combine apples with cinnamon and 5 tablespoons sugar.  Set aside.  Put flour, 2 cups sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.  Make a well in the center and pour in oil.  Add eggs, juice, and vanilla.  Beat until well-blended.  The batter should be thick.

Spoon 1/3 of the batter into the pan.  Spread 1/2 of the apple mixture over the batter.  Repeat layers, ending with the batter.  You will have 3 layers of batter and 2 layers of apples.

Bake for 1 – 1 1/4 hours.  Cake should be brown on top, but not dark.  [Food editor:  In my oven, the cake appeared done in just under 1 hour and 10 minutes.]  Cool ½ hour on rack before removing from pan.  Glaze while still warm or cool completely and sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

Glaze:

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup butter or margarine

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place all ingredients except the vanilla in a small saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Stir well and let sit for 5 minutes.  While the cake is still warm, prick it all over with a fork or toothpick and slowly pour glaze over the cake.  [Food editor: Place the rack on which the cake is cooling over a plate, to catch the glaze that drips off.  Or, place the cake directly on a serving plate before glazing – the cake will sit in the extra glaze and gradually absorb some of it on the bottom.]