Happy Fall Ya'll - Apple Cake

Peeling and coring apples isn’t fun, there HAS to be an easier way. I’m not sure after all my years watching the Food Network how I haven’t discovered an easy tip. I was working with a peeler and a knife. I guess I need to pick up one of those corer contraptions. I’m not usually a “tool” junkie but in this case - it would have had to help. If you have any tips, please leave me a comment and educate me.

I’ve mentioned in another post that I am cooking my first Thanksgiving dinner for my future in-laws. I generally experiment on my dining subjects but I don’t feel like this is an event that I can say “well that stinks, lets order a pizza.” I’m hoping the pie masters (mom-in-law and sis-in-law to be) will handle the pie desserts. I’d like to contribute with another fall-like dessert. I’ve had this recipe for Apple Cake for many years and other than pumpkins, apples scream fall to me. It turned out good, but not good enough to make it to the line-up. For my taste buds if a dessert doesn’t have chocolate in it, it better be smack your face awesome. This one wasn’t. Taste test confirmed by co-workers who quickly ate their way through the cinnamon sugar cookies that were setting next to the Apple Cake. However, if you were doing a brunch this would be a great dish to serve. Apples make up the majority of the cake; there is very little flour/filler so essentially you are feasting on cooked apples. Pair with a cup of coffee and you are good to go.

Apple Cake from Everyday with Rachel Ray

Ingredients:

1 canola oil, plus more for greasing

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

6 Granny Smith apples (about 1 1/4 pounds) peeled, cored and thinly sliced

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1/3 cup orange juice

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt or tube pan. In a medium bowl, combine the 2-1/2 cups of flour with the baking powder and 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon. In a large bowl, toss the apples with 1/4 cup of the sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and set aside.

In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the 1 cup of oil with the eggs, orange juice, vanilla and the remaining 2 cups of sugar on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the flour in 3 batches, mixing until just combined. Add the apples and stir to combine. Transfer to the pan, leaving about an inch at the top, and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before unmolding it onto a rack to cool completely.