Apple Walnut Cake

I'm plowing through those Fine Cooking magazines I received recently, trying to make at least one thing from each issue.

This snack cake is wonderfully moist, with a nice crunchy walnut topping. The original recipe was supposed to be made in a 9 x 13 pan but I knew that would be way too much for our small family so I halved it, which was way easy,  and used an 8" square pan, and it turned out perfect. (The recipe I'm giving you, though,  is for the full amount.)

It's an easy cake to throw together and it's great for breakfast or a late night snack!

Start by combining your dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

Beat the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs, one at a time. Add in one third of the flour mixture, then the applesauce. Add another third of the flour mixture, then the sour cream. Finish mixing in the remaining flour mixture...

Then pour the batter into your prepared pan.

While the cake bakes, make the walnut topping by combining the ingredients, then chill til needed.

Take the cake out of the oven after 15 minutes, then sprinkle on the topping and continue to bake another 30 minutes.

Apple Walnut Cake ( from "Fine Cooking" Magazine Nov. 2004)

Serves 16

2 cups ( 9 ozs.) AP flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. table salt
3 ozs. ( 6 tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temp.
3/4 cup smooth applesauce ( homemade or store bought)
1 cup sour cream
Walnut topping ( recipe below)
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Preheat oven to 350. Butter the bottom and sides or a 9 x 13 baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment.
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
2. Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed til combined ( but not fluffy). Scrape the bowl as needed.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to combine and scraping the bowl.
4. Add one third of the flour mixture, mixing on medium low speed til combined.
5. Add the applesauce, mixing on medium low speed til incorporated.
6. Mix in another third of the flour mixture, then the sour cream, then the remaining flour mixture, scraping the bowl. Don't overmix. Just combine til incorporated.
7. Spread batter into your prepared pan and bake 15 minutes.
8. Make the walnut topping and place in the fridge.
9. Take the cake out of the oven and sprinkle with the topping, then place the cake back in the oven for another 30 minutes, or til a toothpick comes out clean ( Mine took a little less time but it depends on your oven).
10. Cool cake on wire rack for about 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Walnut Topping:
1/2 cup ( one stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup ( 4.5 ozs.) AP flour
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
4 ozs. ( 1 cup) whole walnuts, coarsely chopped

 Melt the butter, then pour into a medium bowl. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar and cinnamon and stir til blended. Add the flour, confectioners' sugar and walnuts, mixing with your fingers til well combined. The mixture should be crumbly but clump together. Refridgerate til ready to use. 

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This is actually a retro coffee cake recipe from 1959. Apparently it has been served in high schools in Los Angeles since then and it's still made. Any cake still going strong after that many years has got to be good! And it is.

It's easy to throw together and it has a layer in the middle of brown sugar, butter and walnuts and, of course, the sour cream makes it nice and moist.

It's one of those cakes that gets better the next day, and then the day after that..and so on!

If I made one little change, it would be that I'd cut  back on the amount of filling. It seemed like a little too much, but other than that, it's great.

Make the filling first, then set it aside while you make the cake.

After half the batter is in the pan, sprinkle the filling over top, then spoon the remainder of the batter over that, then finish with the rest of the filling ( well, now it's the topping!).

The cake bakes up and around the filling, making it so delicious.

So here's the thing...when I went to flip the cake over, it fell! I was able to save all of it but it didn't look as pretty on one side so I made another half batch, this time making the batter into jumbo muffins. I only got 5 out of this half batch. They were also great.

And I put a quick maple glaze over the muffins. It's not really necessary but kind of looks pretty!
Just combine 2 -3 tablespoons of maple syrup with 1/2 cup of comfectioners' sugar til it gets a thin consistency, then just drizzle over top.

1959 Sour Cream Coffee Cake ( from the LA Times, 1994)

Cake:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt ( my addition)
1 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sour cream
Topping:
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon ( my addition)
1 cup chopped walnuts ( I'm sure pecans or even almonds would be fine)
1/4 cup butter, softened
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Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a 10" tube pan.
All ingredients should be at room temp.

1. In a small bowl make the filling by combining all the ingredients together with a fork or your fingers, making sure the butter is thoroughly worked into the mixture. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar til light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
5. Add half the dry ingredients and mix til just blended, then add in the sour cream.
6. Add in the remainder of the dry ingredients and mix til it's all incorporated.
7. Spread hald the batter into your prepared pan, then sprinkle half the filling over top. Spread the remaining batter over this and finish by sprinkling the top with the remainder of the filling.
8. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or til a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then remove it from the outer sides of the pan and allow it to cool completely. Turn it over...(very carefully!) then turn it again so it's right side up.

Peach Crumb Cake

Still making my way through the load of peaches!

This time we're going from Peach Crumb Pie to Peach Crumb Cake.

 This cake is light and not too sweet...perfect for breakfast or a late night snack. Don't be shy with the peaches on top. I used 4 peaches but they were small. If you're using larger peaches, it's okay to just use 4 but if your peaches are on the small side, I'd go with at least 5 peaches.

Make the topping first by throwing all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse til crumbly.
Then make the cake batter.
Then pour it into your prepared pan and spread evenly.

Place the sliced peaches over top of the batter.
Then sprinkle the topping over the peach slices.

Then bake... and cut yourself a nice big piece!

Peach Crumb Cake ( from "The Best of Gourmet 1994")

Topping:
1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 stick ( 6 tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

Cake:
1 stick ( 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup AP flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large peaches ( if small, use 1 more)
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Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour an 8" round or square pan.
1. Topping: In a food processor, combine flour, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon and pulse til the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
2. In mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar til the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add in the flour, baking powder and salt and beat the batter til just combined.
5. Spread the batter evenly into you prepared pan, then place the sliced peaches over top.
6. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the peaches and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or til tester comes out clean.
Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.

Sour Cream Streusel Pound Cake

This pound cake comes from the book," Baking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America" and it's a wonderful cake, moist with a tender crumb that comes from using cake flour rather than all purpose flour.

I have to mention one thing about this book that I love is that in the back of the book are charts for weights per cup for all kinds of things such as different flours, nuts, herbs, chocolate chips and so much more. I found this so helpful when determining how much a cup of cake flour, for example, weighs. I love using a scale rather than scooping a cupful of flour into a cup measure and hoping for the best!

And after reading the loaf pan dimensions and volume for each I determined...I need to buy a smaller loaf pan! This recipe calls for an 8 1/2" loaf pan and I used a 9" loaf pan. Now according to the book an 8 1/2" loaf pan holds 6 cups and my 9" loaf pan holds 8-9 cups. Quite a difference! And the correct size loaf pan would have probably given me a cake the actually rose in the middle.

This is what, most likely, resulted in my cake sinking in the middle. But it still tasted great.

So there you have my baking lesson for the day learned from my mistake for the day!

Happy Easter!

Sift or whisk the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

Then in a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar and salt on medium speed, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes.

While that's beating, in a small bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream and vanilla.

Also in a small bowl stir together the streusel mixture.

Add the egg mixture, alternating with the dry mixture, then pour half the batter into your prepared loaf pan.
Sprinkle half the streusel mixture over top...

Then pour the remaining batter over this ...

And sprinkle the remaining streusel mixture over top. I swirled it with a knife but that's really not necessary. Once it bakes it all comes together anyway!
Bake to 50 to 55 minutes.

Sour Cream Streusel Pound Cake ( from "Baking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America")

Streusel:

1/3 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Cake:

1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted  (5.8 oz.) , (I whisked the flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
8 tbsp. ( 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp. plus extra for greasing pan.
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
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Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour an 8 1/2 " loaf pan. (Be sure to butter the bottom corners well!)

1. Prepare the streusel by combining the brown sugar, walnuts, chocolate chips , cocoa powder and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Sift or whisk the cake flour, baking powder and baking soda together in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and salt on medium speed, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed, til the mixture is smooth and light in texture, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, blend the sour cream, eggs and vanilla.
5. Add the egg mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the dry mixture. After the last  addition of the egg mixture, mix on low speed til just blended, scraping down the bowl as needed, one minute.
6. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle half the streusel mixture over top. Spoon remaining batter into the pan and sprinkle the remaining streusel over this. Swirl with a knife.
7. Bake 50 to 55 minutes, or til a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack. Then release the sides of the cake with a knife or metal spatula and  unmold. Slice the cake at room temperature.

Heirloom Gingerbread Cake

Flipping through one of the cookbooks I bought over the summer at the Farmer's Market, I decided on this one because the notes below the recipe read, "served hot, this makes a yummy coffee cake. Served cold, it is a velvety and delicious dessert cake". Well, that's good enough for me!
And if this cake turned out even half as great as the Carrot Cake I made from the book, then I couldn't wait to get baking!
Don't be fooled by the name..the small amount of molasses in the recipe gives a subtle gingerbread flavor, but just enough to make this cake a little bit different.. a little bit lighter and less intense than a traditional gingerbread. I also love the addition of some of the dry mixture sprinkled on the cake as topping.
This would be perfect with your morning coffee..but for dessert with a big dollop of whipped cream..delicious!

Begin by combining the flour, sugar, ginger and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

Then cut the butter and shortening into the dry, using your fingers (which is what I used) or a pastry cutter.

Once the mixture is combined and it looks nice and crumbly, scoop out 1/4 cup and set that aside for the topping.

In a measuring cup, dissolve the baking soda and salt into the buttermilk. Give it a good stir.

Pour the beaten egg into the dry mixture...

Then add the 2 tablespoons of molasses...

And the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir.

Til it's nice and blended.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and sprinkle the reserved mixture over the top.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or til a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Heirloom Gingerbread Cake ( from "Winterthur's Culinary Collection")


1 1/2 cups AP flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup butter or shortening ( I used 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup shortening)

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tbsp. molasses

1 tsp. baking soda

Scant tsp. salt

1 cup buttermilk

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Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8" square pan.

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, ginger and cinnamon.

2. Cut in butter ( and shortening) with your fingers, two knives or a pastry cutter.

3. Reserve 1/4 cup for topping.

4. Add the beaten egg to the remaining mixture and stir in the molasses.

5. Dissolve the baking soda and salt into the buttermilk and pour into the molasses mixture, stirring to combine.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the remaining dry mixture.

7. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or til a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

8. Let the cake cool slightly in the pan before cutting, (if you'd like it warm), or let it cool completely in the pan to serve it at room temperature.

Cinnamon Flop Coffee Cake

As my cookbook collection continues to grow ( yes, I bought two more yesterday!), I feel compelled..and downright guilty.. that I haven't made enough recipes from the books I already have! So having said that, I bring you the Cinnamon Flop Coffee Cake from one of my favorite vintage cookbooks, "Great Home Cooking in America" by the Food Editors of Farm Journal.

I love reading the comforting collection of recipes that originated in all parts of the world, yet have become popular American recipes today. Recipes that came from farm kitchens of America.

This coffee cake originates from the Pennsylvania Dutch Country and it's sometimes called Moravian Coffee Cake. It's easy to throw together, not using yeast in the dough. And it's a great quick cake to make for breakfast..or a snack cake any time of day.

As the cake bakes, the brown sugar cinnamon topping falls (or flops!) into the batter and gives a wonderful sugary crunch to the cake. It also gives the cake a funny face! Hey, maybe they should have called it Funny Face Cake! Whatever you call it, it's delicious!

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and cut up butter pieces with your fingers to make nice crumbly crumbs. Then set this aside.

In another small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt and set this aside a minute.

In a medium mixing bowl, using a hand held mixer, cream the shortening with the granulated sugar.

Then add the egg and vanilla and beat well to combine.

Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, alternately with the milk...

Beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Pour this batter into your prepared pan.

And sprinkle the top all over with the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or til golden brown.

Cinnamon Flop Coffe Cake ( from "Great Home Cooking in America")

Makes 8 servings

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed ( I used light brown)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 cups AP flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. shortening

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup whole milk

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Preheat oven to 425. Grease an 8" square pan.

1. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add butter pieces and mix with your fingers til crumbly. Set aside.

2. In another small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, cream shortening, gradually beating in granulated sugar.

4. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well to combine.

5. Stir in the flour mixture, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

6. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle the top with the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.

7. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or til golden brown.

NOTE: While this recipe is delicious as is, I would make a few little changes next time.

I would cut the brown sugar down to 1/2 cup and add another 1/2 tsp.cinnamon.

( Just for the record, my son Kris disagrees and loves this cake just as is!)
And maybe..add a few chopped walnuts or pecans? Maybe? I'm just sayin'!

Two Jewish Apple Cakes

Since I had to make two apple cakes today, I thought it would be a great chance to bake two different recipes. Do a kind of comparison to see if two recipes came out differently. The ingredients for Jewish Apple cakes are basically the same, using oil, orange juice, 4 eggs and lots of sliced apples..with other things, of course, like sugar and flour. I searched find two that were different enough to, hopefully, make a difference in taste and texture.

The first one I found was this one. This blogger always has great recipes and I have made this cake before. This cake doesn't dissappoint. It's moist and full of flavor and, as with cakes of this kind, tomorrow it will taste even better. The one thing I changed, however, was to slice the apples thinner than her recipes calls for. I just prefer thinner slices.
As you can see from the photo below this cake didn't come as high as the other recipe. It also didn't come out as golden brown but in all fairness, I did use a non stick pan for the other one which accounts for the darker color.

The other recipe is called a Philadelphia Style Apple Cake ( no prejudice here..honest!). It used a little more flour and orange juice and some brown sugar, rather than all white sugar. And the method for making this cake was a little bit easier. I also liked the suggestion of sprinkling some sugar onto the pan after greasing and before flouring.
So for looks, this one got my vote, but for taste, I have to say they were both great.

Grease the pan, then sprinkle with some sugar, then flour.

The Philadelphia Cake called for about 3 apples but I used 5 apples to keep both recipes using the same amount.

The most time consuming part was peeling and slicing the apples.

Once they're all sliced, put them into a large bowl and sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over them and set them aside while you make the rest of the recipe.

Once the batter's made pour some of it into the prepared pan, then place some of the apple slices over top.

Then layer more batter, then apples.

Pour the remaining batter over the apples.

Then bake for about an hour.

Philadelphia Style Apple Cake ( or Jewish Apple Cake)



6 cups peeled and thinly sliced Granny Smith apples ( about 3 apples but I used 5)

5 tbsp. sugar

4 tsp. cinnamon

3 cups AP flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

4 eggs

1 1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil ( I used canola)

1/2 cup orange juice

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla

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Grease ( don't use spray) , sugar and flour a tube bundt pan.

Preheat oven to 350.

1. Mix apple slices with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Beat eggs with granulated sugar and brown sugar.

4. Add oil, orange juice and vanilla to the egg mixture and beat well.

5. Gradually blend in flour mixture and mix til well blended, about one minute.

6. Drain the liquid off apples.

7. Pour about one third of the batter into the prepared pan, then a layer of apples. Repeat with batter and apples, ending with batter.
8. Bake for approx. one hour or til a knife inserted into cake comes out clean.

9. Let the cake cool for at least one hour before removing from pan.

Note: Let it cool completely before slicing. This cake is better the day after baking.