It’s fall and in Maine that means trips to farm stands and orchards to get local apples. My mom has made this knobby apple cake for as long as I can remember. It makes a perfect snack for cool, crisp autumn afternoons.
The Recipe
by volume by weight
3 large eggs 204 grams eggs
1½ cups sugar 297 grams sugar
1/2 cup oil 112 grams oil
1 tablespoon vanilla 12 grams vanilla
1 tablespoon baking powder 12 grams baking powder
2½ teaspoons cinnamon 15 grams cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt 4 grams salt
1½ cups all purpose flour 180 grams all purpose flour
3 large apples 600 grams apples
1½ cups chopped nuts 185 grams chopped nuts
Directions
Heat the oven to 350F. Line the bottom of a 9 inch square pan with parchment paper. My parchment paper always curls up so I use a little oil or spray to help it stick to the pan.
Peel and thinly slice the apples.
Whisk the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla together until thoroughly combined.
Add the baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and flour and mix just to incorporate.
Fold in the apples and the chopped nuts.
Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the top as best you can. The batter is thin enough that it will settle by itself so don’t worry about it too much.
Bake for 45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan.
This cake is delicious while still warm from the oven but it will be much easier to cut if you wait until it is completely cool.
Alternatives
This apple cake is even more delicious the next day but it’s hard to make it last that long! I use pecans in this cake because I love the combination of pecans and apples but walnuts or almonds will work just as well. If you don’t care for nuts or have an allergy, simply leave them out.
This cake works nicely with more spice as well. Ginger, nutmeg, or allspice are all good options and will give more of an apple spice cake flavor.
