On Saturday we (the husband that never reads this blog and my sister-in-law aka only marathon partner… thanks Sue & Kristen) drove to the top Millcreek Canyon for a long Saturday run.
They had finally talked me into a trail run. The autumn leaves were amazing. The colors were a bright yellow and orange that lit the entire canyon. We ran about 5 miles to the top of the mountain that had a view of Park City. The air was brisk and sometimes down right cold. We crunched leaves under our feet and had a few snowy spots on the trail.
As usual, Karen and I started to talk about what we were going to eat for breakfast. This conversation led to wanting anything from the fall harvest. Pumpkin cakes, breads and cookies. Apple crisp and pie. Top on my list was Karen’s fabulous Fresh Apple Nut Cake. Karen serves this hot from the oven drizzled – no – smothered in this rich butter sauce also known as fat sauce #2.
This is so simple to make and will soon become your new fall favorite apple dessert…could be a breakfast…why not? After 10 miles I can eat whatever I want. (this attitude is why my marathon times are slowing way down)
The recipe is simple with just a few ingredients: butter, sugar, egg, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts (or pecans) and tart apples.
The cake can be baked in a 9 x 9-inch baking dish. I found these dang cute jars. LOVE them…so much that I decided to make cute individual cakes.
You can, also, use 1/2 pint canning jars. The work just as well and are just as cute.
Give the jars or baking dish a spray of non-stick spray. If you don’t like using the spray, just butter the jars or baking dish with butter.
Peel your tart apples. I’m using Jonathon apples.
Core the apples.
Grate the apples.
In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter.
Add the sugar.
Beat until butter and sugar are creamed together.
Lightly beat the egg.
Add the egg to the sugar and butter mixture.
Beat until creamy.
Add the flour.
and the baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
Add the chopped nuts.
and grated apples.
Fold the nuts and apples into the batter.
At first the batter will be very thick, but the moisture from the apples will soften the batter.
If you are using a baking dish, spread the batter evenly in the dish. I fill the jars about 1/2 way full of batter.
Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes for the jars and 24-30 minutes for a baking dish.
Remove from the oven when the center has cooked and the cakes are golden brown. Set aside while making the “fat sauce” or make the sauce ahead of time and reheat.
For the fat sauce you will need: butter, sugar, cream and vanilla. Hence the name “fat sauce”.
In a medium saucepan add the butter, sugar, and cream.
Whisk until smoothing and the sugar has dissolved.
When the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat.
Add the vanilla and stir. Serve warm over the Fresh Apple Cake.
I really need to use up the little wooden spoons that I bought for my son’s wedding. It was actually cheaper to purchase 1,000 instead of 350. This means you just might see them from time to time in my pictures.
Drizzle cakes with the fat sauce.
Serve.
I’m pretty sure there is a written rule that all food blogger’s must eat what is blogged.
Burp!
(seriously I did …twice)
Fresh Apple Nut Cake
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 small or 2 large apples, peeled and grated
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour and 9 x 13-inch pan. Set aside.
Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside. In the a medium size bowl beat together sugar and butter. Add the egg, mix well. Stir in flour mixture. Fold in grated apples and walnuts. Pour into prepared 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Serve warm with fat sauce.
Fat Sauce:
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
Combine all ingredients into a saucepan. Cook over low heat until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved.
Enjoy your harvest.
I adore fresh apple cake…and I adore your use of the jars! What a brilliant idea! Stealing it! Xoxo!
hahaha – Thank you so much. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Love you site.
Wow…I am drooling here…Why don't you send one of that jar here…
Hi Aarthi. I'd love to send you a jar, but I ate them for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Yum! Nothing tastes like fall the way apples do. . . I will definitely try this recipe!
Thanks for following Amanda. I hope you love this dessert.
This looks absolutely divine, especially bathing them in "Fat Sauce".Maybe I will put them in ramekins. What do you think?
Ramekins would work great. You can also must bake in a 9 x 9-inch dish if you prefer. Ramekins would be awesome.
Nice recipe and beautiful presentation. I, too, have a husband who doesn't read my blog, though he is often quoted in it (probably good, that he doesn't read my blog!)
I hope I don't have to run a marathon to counteract the effects of fat sauce #2 (there must be a #1, too, I presume?)
Greetings from Maine 🙂
I would love to read those quotes. Please send me a link to your blog. Yes there is a fat sauce #1. Just do a search for fat sauce on my blog and it should pull up. It's with the baked french toast recipe. I'm so happy to hear from Maine.
Hi, I just discover your blog : really very nice. I'm french, so I have to translate your teaspoons and cups in our old metric measures… but I thinl I'll try this recipe very soon ! I love your jars too : can I ask your where you bought them ? (Sorry for my "english" and all my faults…)
Je parle un peu le français. Votre anglais est superbe. My recent posts include metric calculations. Here is a chart that is very helpful: http://www.jsward.com/cooking/conversion.shtml Thank you so much.
Merci beaucoup : really helpfull ! Thanks for your answer
Hi, Beautiful pictures and presentation! With two apple trees in my backyard, I am always looking for recipes to utilize them and this one is perfect! I have a quick question- I plan to make this for a potluck, if I pour the fat sauce (love the name- I can feel my hips enlarge as I think about it!) on the warm cake and take it, will it affect the texture/flavour of the cake?
Thanks in advance!
When I take this to a potluck I serve the fat sauce on the side. I bake it on a 9 x 9 baking dish. I have never poured the sauce over the cake. I'm sure it can be done. The cake would just absorb the sauce and have more of a sticky pudding consistency. If you love apples, you will love this dessert.