Makes 2 10″ bundt pans or 1 deep 10″ pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound whole local (organic, if possible) baking apples, peeled, cored, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces. (We use a mixture of Empire, Cortland, Mutsu, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, McIntosh).
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3/4 stick unsalted butter, room temp
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon mace
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg
Sift the following ingredients well together:
- 2 1/2 cups unbleached low-protein flour (cake or pastry), or plain all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons non-aluminum baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup milk, room temp
Method
Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Melt the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a pan. Add chopped pecans and mix well. Set aside to cool.
- Mix in small bowl with whisk the 3 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Set aside.
- Butter and flour pans very well.
- Cream the remaining sugar, unsalted butter, kosher salt, mace and ground cinnamon well in a mixer with a paddle for 8 minutes.
- Add the egg to make homogenous.
- Add the flour mixture in 3 stages, alternating with the 1/2 cup milk.
- Fold in apples.
- Transfer cake mix to bundt pans or cake pan.
- Drizzle cake(s) with pecan/butter and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Bake about 40 minutes at 350F in the middle of the oven, being careful not to jostle the pan (it is a little fragile). Test for doneness with a toothpick.
Essell Hoenshell-Watson, of The Alternative Baker, makes this popular, very apple-y cake with a nice crunchy topping—great warm from the oven of served with ice cream and a good cheddar. It makes a great addition to a Thanksgiving menu.
