Memory Desserts – Day 12

12 Elul 5774
By Hollis O’Brien

Memory Desserts

“Amongst the liveliest of my memories are those of eating and drinking; and I would sooner give up some of my delightful remembered walks, green trees, cool skies, and all, than to lose my images of suppers eaten on Sabbath evenings at the end of those walks.”
Mary Antin, “The Promised Land” (1912)

Every year as we approach the High Holy Days, my mind starts whirring with ideas for new recipes to help celebrate…..but I always come back to one of my grandmother’s favorite’s for Rosh Hashanah, her “Jewish Apple Cake”….

Jewish Apple Cake

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
½ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 cups cored, peeled, and thinly sliced apples
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
Butter to grease pan
Confectioners’ sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 10” tube pan and dust with flour. Set aside.
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Combine the apple slices with the cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl beat the eggs with the sugar. Combine oil, orange juice and vanilla and add alternatively with dry ingredients to egg mixture.  Mix well until smooth.
5. Pour half of the batter into prepared tube pan, spreading to cover the bottom of the pan. Arrange half of the apples over the batter. Top with remaining batter and then top with apples.
6. Bake for about one hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  If the top is getting too brown cover with foil. Cool in pan for about an hour before removing.
7. Remove from pan and let cool, apple side up on a wire rack.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Note: The cake freezes very well.