Grandma Smith's Recipe Box: Apple Cake

Autumn arrived several weeks ago, and I have to admit that it’s one of my favorite times of year. Growing up in the Midwest, I've experienced that fall can get cut short in the Heartland. (I remember several years of trick-or-treating in the snow, or having to wear my winter coat over my costume...ruining the effect). But the season in New York tends to last well into October and November. This weekend was the perfect mix of peak foliage, a warm day, and chilly evening.

Apples are a big event around here. We live in the heart of "apple country," and have the pleasure of enjoying fresh-picked apples August through October. This year provided us a bumper crop due to favorable conditions. We had apples from several sources - apple-picking from a local orchard, and a friend's gift of one bushel from their own crop. Do you know how much a bushel is? A lot! I spent the day canning apple butter and spiced apples sticks, and freezing apple slices for use later.

In celebration of the apple harvest, I selected Grandma's recipe for Apple Cake. I've since learned that this is technically an "Apple Dapple" Cake, which is a cake packed with apples and nuts (usually pecans) and held together with minimal batter. The cake is topped with a brown sugar topping that can also include maple sugar. Whatever you call it - it is fantastic! Serve it warm, and no need for ice cream or whipped topping. Good!!!