Chunky Apple Walnut Cake

Southern Recipe Posted by Grace Mannon.

I think I’ve tried every recipe for apple cake known to man, and here’s the thing: They’re all good. Bringing together moist, tart apples and crunchy nuts and surrounding them with cinnamon-scented cake batter simply can’t be a bad thing.

Like most other apple cakes, the most time-consuming part of the process is preparing the apples. The recipe makes use of only two bowls and there’s no mixer required, which is good news for those of us who hate washing dishes. The resulting cake is so tender and so aromatic that you’ll want to make it again and again.

What sets this particular apple cake recipe apart from the others I’ve tried is the amazing glaze. It’s basically a caramel sauce that comes from adding sugar and cream to apple cider and reducing it to its most sticky, most delicious form.

Chunky Apple Walnut Cake

1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1-1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
3-1/4 cups tart apples, peeled, cored, cut into chunks
3 tablespoons Applejack (or apple cider)
Apple Cider Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl, beat vegetable oil and sugar until thick and opaque. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each edition.
In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add to oil and egg mixture and mix until well blended.
Stir apples, walnuts, and Applejack into batter along with until pieces are evenly distributed.
Pour batter into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake 80-90 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.
Let cake rest in pan 10 minutes, then unmold and pour glaze over warm cake.

Apple Cider Glaze

4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup apple cider
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Melt butter in small saucepan and stir in both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and cook until thick enough to use as a glaze, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Pour over cake while still warm.

Enjoy this southern recipe in this collection of our southern cuisine – let’s gather the best southern food ideas for The Southern Coterie cookbook.