Month: November 2018

This is a dense cake that is great as a fall dessert or as part of a brunch.  It is chockfull of apple chunks and pecan pieces. It is very dense, really moist and completely addictive.

This is adapted just a bit from the wonderful recipe in the Silver Palate Cookbook and hte high altitude instructions are based on an elevation of 6500 ft.

Ingredients:

1/2 T. unsalted butter (at room temperature)

1 1/2 cups canola oil

2 cups sugar (HIGH ALTITUDE: 2 cups LESS 2T.)

3 large or extra large eggs (HIGH ALTITUDE: Use extra large eggs or, if not available, use 3 1/2 large eggs)

2 cups all-purpose flour (HIGH ALTITUDE: Add 3 more T. of flour)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1/8 t. ground cloves (optional)

1 t. baking soda (HIGH ALTITUDE:  use only 1/2 t. baking powder)

3/4 t. salt (rounded up a little if using kosher salt)

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans: 1 cup for cake, 1/2 cup for decoration

3 medium to large apples (preferably Honeycrisp), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks

Glaze :

4 T. unsalted butter (1/2 stick) at room temperature

2 T. brown sugar

6 T. granulated sugar

3 T. Calvados or other apple brandy (or substitute 2 T. brandy and increase cider below to 5 T.,  or just use 8 T. cider if brandy is not available)

4 T. apple cider (see notes above)

2 T. orange juice

2 T. heavy cream

Preparation:

1. Grease a 10 inch round cake pan  with the softened butter (1/2 T.).
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (high altitude 350 degrees)
3. In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix the all-purpose flour with the spices then add the baking soda, salt, and whole wheat flour and again stir (using a fork if necessary) to thoroughly combine.
4. Put the canola oil and the sugar in a large bowl and beat with a whisk until thick and pale (they will not combine the way butter does with sugar, but should be as emulsified as you can get in 3 or so minutes of beating).
5. Add the flour mixture to the oil/sugar emulsion, and stir with a wooden spoon until it is fully blended.
6. Add the Calvados and stir briefly.
7. Add the apples and pecans and stir until they are distributed throughout.
8. Scrape the cake into the greased pan.
9. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly (this can be anywhere between 1 hour and 1 hour and 40 minutes depending on your oven. Begin checking at 1 hour). When cooked the top will appear a little cracked and craggy.
10. Cool on a rack  until you can handle the pan (but it is still warm).
11. Run a thin knife around the outside of the cake several times to loosen it (even with a buttered pan, this cake likes to hang on). Then place a plate or rack over the top of the pan and invert so the cake comes loose.
12. Turn the cake back over to finish cooling.
13. Make the glaze by melting the butter in a small pan and then adding all other ingredients and bringing to a simmer and cooking for 5 or so minutes.
14. Cool the glaze until it just begins to thicken (this may require a little refrigeration).
15. When cake is cool, pour glaze over the top and then sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of chopped pecans.