I had good intentions of getting into my sewing room and maybe finishing up Navi’s Fall set, but my hubby called me at home just about the time I was getting started… he was at the auto repair shop and had taken the church van there to be serviced. Unfortunately, he had forgotten the church credit card and guess who had to retrieve it? Yours truly. I had to go into the church, get it, and take it out to him as he wasn’t able to leave until the van was finished.
I am in charge of getting the caramel apple supplies for the Taste of America/hayride our church is doing this Saturday night. We are doing the caramel apples like we did last year! It was a BIG hit… (You can see last year’s post on the Taste of America/hayride HERE. It took me a little while to get everything I needed.
Today was my son’s birthday and I thought we might go out for dinner with him, but he texted me and said what he’d really like is my fresh apple cake. So I picked up what I needed for that and came home and started on it.
On my way home I got a text asking me if I could send out a letter to the married couples to bring a side dish for the hayride. So I added that to my “To Do” list and got that done!
I found out there might be apples at the Food Pantry tonight so at 6:30 I met a friend to check. Sure enough, they had gotten several pallets. I took one huge box. I’ll have to wash and cut them before we use them.
I made dinner and now it’s 10:00 on the dot!
There was NO sewing today, but there was some baking, so I thought I’d share my Fresh Apple Cake recipe with you today. It’s fabulous and I’ve been making it for as long as I can remember. There are 2 versions of it… the regular way and the way that is slightly lighter… although you really should try the regular way first. It is divine! It’s flaky on top and very moist inside…almost fudgy like. Serve it slightly warm if you like with a dollop of ice cream on top and your guests will rave like you’ve never heard! I’m not kidding!
FRESH APPLE CAKE (The regular way)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
3 cups apples, peeled and sliced thin ( I used Gala apples)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Slightly less than 1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons of vanilla
Put oil, sugar, and eggs in large bowl and mix with a spoon. Then add all the other ingredients. Stir well. The batter will be thick. I have even been known to use my hands and make sure it was all mixed well. Bake in a 9″ x 13″ pan or glass dish that has been oiled with vegetable oil. Bake for 1 hour at 300 degrees. As ovens vary, you may need to test it with a toothpick to make sure it’s done. It is very delicious.
This is what it looks like as it goes into the oven…
..and after it’s baked and makes your house smell wonderful…
FRESH APPLE CAKE (slightly lower in calories… as you change out the eggs for egg whites and you change out the oil for applesauce) It’s still very good but not quite as addicting as the regular version.
2 cups sugar
2 egg whites
1 1/4 cups applesauce
3 cups apples, peeled and sliced thin
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Slightly less than 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of vanilla
Follow the same directions as above.
Well, I hope this will hold you over till I get back in my sewing room…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
My goodness, you were Busy, Jeanne!
Your apple cake looks delicious. My mom used to make a cake with fresh apples, too, but hers was more like a regular cake batter, then the apples were peeled and sliced and layered on top, then topped with cinnamon/sugar mixture. I’m going to have to find that recipe again; might be time to make one soon!
I just finished two days of a smocking/embroidery retreat with my SAGA chapter; we had Vaune Pierce come up from CA and teach us some stitches, and different ways to use them, plus review some we already knew. We also picked up a number of tips to make our handwork better. And we shopped; she brought some smocking/embroidery things plus we went to the quilting store on the main floor of the building we were in, and shopped there, too! Fun time, and I learned a lot!
Hi Charlotte,
I WAS busy yesterday and today has been almost the same but I’m hoping to get in my sewin room soon!!!
Apple cakes are always good…I hope you find your moms recipe.
Oh I would have loved to go with you to your smocking/ embroidery retreat…I always love to learn new techniques and how to improve on the ones I already know.
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
Great cake Martha! Would love a bite right now. 🙂
Guess what? Our power is going out today yet again. No one can stop PGE from their safety duties after being sued. So, they will announce this morning the times. We were the last group to have power returned when they shut it off before so can expect the same. Will go off this afternoon and be out for at least 48 hours. Good thing we didn’t restock the freezer because last time, we lost so much in food and dollars. And the weather is clear. No wind and looks beautiful. But, if there is a flutter of leaves in the hills, off goes the power to the cities. This has to stop. Business are losing so much money. Schools have to close in the effected areas etc. So, I’ll be reading on the phone for the next few days. 🙂
Have fun with the hayride party. Always sounds so exciting.
Hi Joy,
I’d love a piece of Kristoffer’s cake too, but I didn’t.
I heard on the news today about the power outages where you are…poor Joy!!!
I hope the wind stops and they figure out some other way to fix the problem without turning off everyone’s power.
I’m glad you can follow along on the phone and not miss what’s going on.
Blessings, Jeanne
I’m definitely going to make that apple cake – the regular way. We came back from Colorado with a ton of peaches and Honeycrisp apples. The peaches started over-ripening pretty quickly so we’ve been eating a lot of peach cobbler. The apples still look really good but there are a lot of them so I’m going to make this cake. By the way, I’ve made the Strawberry Tossed Salad several times and it is always a hit. Keep those recipes coming. Still waiting for the tutorial on “flower” frosting cupcakes. If you did one and I missed it please send a link.
I can’t even imagine what Joy is going through with her power issues. Even after hurricanes, earthquakes, etc., the first thing they try to do is get people’s power back on. Turning it off with no reason other than a slight breeze is just unimaginable to me.
A hayride! What fun. When I lived in PA our church youth group had a hayride every October. It was so much fun. Then back to the church for donuts, cider and hot chocolate. It was pretty nippy up there in October.
Poor Lolla is still blind in one eye and can’t see out of the other, but she’s being very patient with me. I didn’t get to Wal-mart yesterday because my son was here and I got him away from his dad long enough to have him help me put up my Halloween blow-ups. I’m really late this year, so we didn’t put up everything. Taking our vacation later than usual really threw me off. I have a hair appointment this morning and after I will head to Wal-mart for some shopping and pick up the stuff to do her eyes. Speaking of that, I’d better run. Luckily it’s only five minutes away.
Oh Barbara,
I do hope you try my cake…it’s one of my top recipes and your hubby will absolutely love it!
I’m going to have a few ladies over to celebrate their birthdays and definitely plan on making my strawberry salad. I love it!…
I haven’t done a video on the cupcakes yet…but I still have it on my to do list.
There is lots to be done for the hayride and I hope I make it through the end of the week…it’s just one of those super busy weeks with a list mile long for things that have to be finished or picked up.
Thank you Barbara,
Blessings ,Jeanne
I’m going to make the apple cake, Jeanne. It sounds like the French Market Apple Lady’s recipe from a famous author’s cookbook.
I have to defend Joy on her annoyance with the PG&E shutoffs. I was in Texas when I heard about it but didn’t realize it would even possibly affect us in Orange County until several days later. I asked the neighbor who waters the flowers to check on it and it was okay, just a slight switch off and right back on. Wouldn’t that have been a mess after several days! I did call the insurance company as I have coverage for refrigerator contents, but when it is a “scheduled” outage, it isn’t covered, scheduled meaning anything PG&E claims as scheduled 15 minutes before it happens! Terrible for everyone, especially businesses who have to carry so much inventory. Generators for everyone but when one travels . . . ! A bit of wind here means expecting 25-35 mph with gusts to 50 on Friday. No blowup lawn decorations when that happens! Take a picture of them, Barbara.
Oh goody, Susette,
I hope you love the cake as much as everyone I know does… I’ve even made it in my bread machine before!!
I can’t imagine how you deal with knowing your power could be shut off anytime… I bet the businesses do hate it!!
The wind is blowing like crazy herd todsy
..much too windy to take Navi outside for pictures. I guess I’ll have to go to “Plan B” for today too!!
Didn’t you go to see your grands? Any pictures to share?
Thanks Susette,
Blessings, Jeanne
Apple recipes certainly do say fall. I have a few I make each year and yours looks good, too.
I have a couple that use cardamom instead of cinnamon and I have to say I really like that spice.
A hayride sounds like a lot of fun. We used to do that every year followed by dinner around the campfire and smores.
As to your question yesterday, Jeanne, no , i haven’t ever been to a doll show/convention. I do think it would be vey enjoyable to meet other collectors.
Hi Laura,
Yes, a delicious apple cake certainly does say Fall. I’m glad you already gave a great cake recipe!
We are going to have s chili station, a caramel apple station, an apple pie station, an apple cider station and a s’mores station.
Then there will be square dancing in the barn and then the huge bonfire!
The students live the different stations of American foods!!
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
Thank you for posting your apple cake recipe. My maternal grandmother lived on a farm with an apple orchard, and I loved her apple cake. I don’t have the recipe, nor does my mom or any of my aunts. I have tried so many recipes I have found online that have titles like “The Best Apple Cake Ever”, and none have had the taste I am looking for. I will definitely try this one, and I will have my fingers crossed that is the version I have been looking for!
Oh Carolyn,
Try the regular version and if you don’t like it, I’ll eat every piece of it!!!
My mom used to make a dessert from strawberries and vanilla wafers and that one is forever lost in her mind I guess. I hope this cake works for you. It truly is delicious…don’t use teeny tiny chopped pecans…I like the ones that are a bit bigger pieces than that…
And don’t use too much cinnamon…some apple cakes are overpowering with the taste of cinnamon.
Thanks Carolyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, did that strawberry recipe also have a meringue under the berries/ I have a recipe with a vanilla wafer crust, a kind of thin layer of meringue, then baked; after cooled, topped with strawberries and then whipped cream, and cut into bars. Let me know if that’s the one, and I’ll send you the recipe. (The original one called for raspberries, but I only used it with strawberries, and it’s delicious!)
Attended a lunch today given by my girls 4-H leader…now keep in mind my girls are in their 50’s so that’s how long we have known each other. She invited all the “Moms” from the Club and we each were to bring something our Moms had made when we were kids. It was fun! We had ham/ scalloped potatoes…baked beans and a bologna ring,meatloaf, Waldorf Salad,Apple Crunch, Apple Strudel, fudge,pumpkin pie and iced tea and KOOL AID😀
Kool-aid just didn’t taste the same though..LOL!
Love the Apple cake recipe..thank you so much!
HI Kathie,
I LOVED the idea for your luncheon today! What a brilliant idea… I might have to steal that sometime. I bet it was SO much fun! I bet the food was delicious and brought back lots of memories!
Glad you liked the cake recipe… I hope you try it… you’ll like it! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne