Apple Cake with Maple Glaze

Lentil stews? Paprikash? Ragouts? Apple cakes? Geez, someone is ready for fall to come. Too bad it was 92 degrees yesterday. I don’t care! Cooking fall food will surely make it come sooner, right? That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it.

So, roughly a bazillion years ago, I saw this apple cake on Kayte’s blog and it looked great. I am a sucker for any kind of apple cake/pie/muffin so I starred it to make. The other day, my husband took care of dinner on the grill, so I thought I’d bake something for dessert. This isn’t strictly a dessert item, though; it could definitely be a breakfast/brunch item because pastry for breakfast is the best, of course. I think putting the frosting on this would make it over-the-top-desserty, but like Kayte, I did not add the frosting. I did, however, make a quick maple icing to drizzle over the top which lended just the perfect amount of added sweetness.

I halved the recipe from Culinate and baked this in a 9″ cake pan (though I think 8″ would be better if you have it). I kept most of the spice amounts the same, though, because I like a spicy cake. And I added raisins as well as vanilla. And brown sugar instead of white. OK yeah, enough chatting about things I changed and onto my adapted recipe, already! 🙂

Apple Cake
adapted from Culinate

1 cup + 2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups apples, peeled and chopped (I probably should have chopped them finer but whatever, I’m lazy)
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/3 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 325 and grease and flour a 8″ or 9″ cake pan.

In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients (through nutmeg). In a separate mixing bowl or in the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Incorporate the egg and vanilla, beating for a minute longer.

Reduce the mixing speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, in 2-3 additions until just incoporated. The batter will be very thick and stiff. Fold in the apples, raisins, and pecans.

Add the batter to the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake for about 28-33 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 
 

Maple Glaze

1/2 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1-2 Tbsp. maple syrup
milk

Mix together the maple syrup and sugar, then slowly add milk to get the consistency you want. Then if  you add too much milk (gee, I  never do that) add more sugar. And maybe more maple syrup.