Tuela’s Apple Cake

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TUELA’S FRESH APPLE CAKE:

• 4 C. fine chopped, peeled apples
• 2 C. sugar
• 3 C. flour
• 2 t. soda
• 1 t. salt
• 2 t. vanilla or 1/2 t nutmeg and 1 t cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 1 C. cooking oil
• 1 C. chopped nuts

Combine sugar and chopped apples. Let stand until juice forms. Sift flour, soda, salt and spices (if spices are used). Mix with apples and sugar, add nuts, eggs and oil. Stir all together. Bake 350 degrees 45 minutes or until done.

I bake this cake in a bundt pan, which I spray really well with baking spray.

Icing is optional. I serve it naked with only a dollop of whipped cream.

Mom served it with a cream cheese/pecan icing:

• 1 large cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1 t. vanilla
• 2 C powdered sugar
• 2 C pecans

Beat the creamed cheese, add powered sugar and vanilla and beat until incorporated.  Stir in pecans and spread on cooled cake.

Tuela’s caramel icing: (Mom never succeeded at this–she couldn’t melt the sugar without burning it.  I’ve never gotten past that stage, either. I usually bake apple cake for Thanksgiving, and I don’t have time to persevere.)

• 3 C. sugar
• 1 C. sweet milk (whole milk)
• 3 T. butter
• now 1/4 t. salt

Melt 1/2 C. sugar in skillet. Mix the remaining 2-1/2 C. sugar with milk and butter. Place on fire. When hot, add melted sugar and stir constantly until drop stirred on saucer is creamy. Beat and when thick, spread on cake.