Spiced apple cake

I have this dream that someday I will post recipes in a timely fashion for various holidays.  In fact I had made this apple cake recipe a few times last summer, in anticipation of sharing it in time for Rosh Hashana 2016, and then somehow that holiday came and went.  However the good news is that means I had pictures and a recipe, ready to go for this year.  Even so, I still am only managing to post this the night before Rosh Hashana, but better than never!  So here is one of my favorite apple loaf/cakes, great to help celebrate a sweet new year, or any time you have some apples that need a new home.  During the year I often make it in two loaf cakes (you can freeze one!), but for the holidays I'll make it in a round bundt tin.

Wishing everyone a sweet and good new year! L'shana tova!

This is modified version of  one of those classic NYT recipes, called "Teddy's Apple Cake," that has been tried and proven for years.  The main changes I made were to substitute some of the white sugar for brown sugar, to increase the cinnamon, and to add a cinnamony/spiced crunchy topping.  If you are not as big a fan of cinnamon, then maybe try cutting your use of it in half.




Teddy's Apple Cake
Adapted from the New York Times

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups peeled, cored, thickly cut up tart apples (3 small or two large apples)

Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tb flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tb butter - at room temperature

Make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350f / 176.  Generously butter and flour a 9 inch tube pan, or line two loaf pans with a rectangle of parchment paper (see photos above)

1.  Beat the oil and sugars together with a mixer (I used a paddle attachment) for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the eggs, and continue mixing until it is creamy
3. Mix in the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda into the batter.
4. Mix in the vanilla and apple chunks, and stir until combined.  Pour into your prepared pan
5. Make the topping: mix all of the topping ingredients together until it resembles cornmeal.  I often use my fingers to mush the butter into the cinnamon/sugar.  Sprinkle this onto your cake(s) (yes this is a lot of topping!)
6. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 -30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Allow the cake to fully cool on a wire rack, before cutting around the edges and lifting/dumping out.