Yes, this is yet another recipe from the archives of Yvonne’s recipe files. Apple walnut cake was a staple in my house – one of the many desserts that came out of her kitchen while I was growing up. It was both a very “moist” cake, and a “crunchy” cake, due to the 4 cups of apples, and a full cup of chopped walnuts. She made this in a 13×9″ pan (she called this an “oblong” pan), and served it “plain”, with no topping at all. This allowed the cake to hold the entire spotlight in both presentation, and taste. It definitely holds a warm spot in my heart!
I have updated her original recipe in just a few ways. This is one of her few dessert recipes that I wanted to actually DECREASE the amount of sugar! She usually managed to do that on her own – at the request of my father! I cut the original 2 cups of sugar down to 1 1/2c. I also changed the type of sugar to both 3/4 granulated sugar, and 3/4 light brown sugar. I think the apples add enough natural sweetness, so that less sugar will work quite nicely. And the brown sugar adds a lovely “caramel” note to the cake.
I shredded 3 apples, instead of chopping them into small chunks. I felt this dispersed the apple flavor and texture more evenly, and 3 cups of apples instead of 4 made for a lighter, but still moist cake.
Another change I made is the addition of some warm spices (nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon). I found this gave the cake a final “fall” aroma, and taste reminiscent of a carrot cake.
Finally, I topped my 2 – 8″ cake layers with my homemade cream cheese buttercream, and a sprinkle of chopped walnuts. This cake could absolutely be served without any topping, or just a dollop of whipped cream. See the beautiful top of this cake:
APPLE WALNUT CAKE RECIPE
Ingredients:
3 c peeled and shredded apples (I used honey crisp)
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 c all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c chopped walnuts (plus extra for topping)
Prepare your pans – either 2 – 8* round pans, or 1 – 9×13″ pan, using cooking spray. I also lined the bottom of my pans with parchment paper for easy removal.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices into a med bowl. Stir to blend, then set aside.
2. Combine sugars, eggs and oil in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Whip for 2-3 minutes til light and fluffy. Add vanilla, and shredded apples. Stir to combine.
3. Slowly add the dry mixture to the mixing bowl, with mixer on low. Blend til wet and dry ingredients are well-incorporated. Scrape the bowl as needed.
4. Fold in chopped walnuts.
5. Pour batter evenly into 2 cake pans, or into the 1 – 9×13″ pan. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
6. Bake 8″ pans for about 35 min, and the 9×13″ pan for about 50 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center. It should come out clean and dry.
7. Cool completely.
Serve topped with frosting, or whipped cream, or nothing at all! Enjoy!
