Apple cake with Brown Sugar Frosting

I love apples. I even have photographic proof of my deep and enduring love of apples.

Notice how the woman behind me looks on with disgust of my apple love. Too bad lady, I’m hugging my apples. They were so perfect. Right off the tree, hand-picked by me. Jonathan, McIntosh, Honeycrisp and red delicious, these were all keepers. My ten pound bag of apples would be turned into crisps, pies and sauces. They would be eaten fresh and with each bite, a loud crunch. Ten pounds of apples to enjoy into the cooler months of the year.

I also love picking apples. It is just a wonderful way to spend a crisp Saturday morning. Wandering the rows of the orchard you seek out the best, brightest, freshest fruit. You reach high to get that just out of reach red jewel. You climb up the tree (shhh, don’t tell) and finally have the one you were looking for. Oh, wait, there’s a hole in that one. Never mind. That one goes on the ground.

Once you’ve filled your bag full of delicious apples (and you’ve eaten a few along the way), it’s time to bring them home. But what do you start with when faced with ten plus pounds of apples? You must start with this cake. It perfectly shows off the bright apple flavor, while complimenting them with the right amount of spices. Once baked, the cake is drowned in brown sugar frosting. Warm with ice cream, or with a cup of coffee, this cake delivers.

Now I’m down to 8 pounds of apples. You can expect to see several more apple postings in the weeks to come! So head out to your local apple orchard and pick some apples. It’s easy, throw on a light sweater, lace up your hiking shoes and grab the sunglasses. Fall is settling in, and it brought apples.

Apple cake with Brown Sugar Frosting

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp all-spice
2 eggs
½ cup shortening
4 cups chopped apples
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 325. Grease and flour a classic bundt pan.

Whisk together dry ingredients, add eggs. Using a hand mixer, mix in shortening. The batter will be crumbly, more like cookie dough. Add apples and walnuts and stir to combine. Let the mix sit for ten minutes and allow the apples to release some of their juices.

Pour the cake batter into the bundt pan. Smooth out the top with your fingers, lightly press down. Bake cake for 1 hour (or until it tests done). Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Invert cake onto a large plate and allow to cool completely. Make frosting.

Brown Sugar Frosting

5 tbsp butter
½ cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
3 tbsp milk
1 ½ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan heat butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir and cook until brown sugar melts. Add milk and bring to a boil. Take off heat and allow to cool to 10 minutes.

Add sugar and vanilla and whisk to combine. While the frosting is still warm pour over the cake, allowing it to pool in the middle and drip off the sides.