Author Notes
I have been making this recipe for many years, its from a Martha Stewart Living Magazine not sure how old but at least 5 years ago. This cake is made with homemade apple cider applesauce, has a crumble topping that melts into the cake and fresh apple slices placed on the top of it. Its very moist and absolutely delicious. I made it in a bundt pan instead of a tube pan and made a few minor changes but the recipe was pretty perfect as written. I decided to share this recipe with apple and pear season upon us. Make it with apples alone or pears or both its great anyway you make it. —sdebrango
Ingredients
- Apple Cider Applesauce
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1 pound
juicy apples (Macintosh work very well) peeled. cored and cut into quarters
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1/4 cup
apple cider
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1 tablespoon
Sugar (white, turbinado or brown any will work)
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pinch of salt
- The Crumble Topping and Cake
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THE CRUMBLE TOPPING
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4 tablespoons
unsalted butter softened
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1/2 cup
dark brown sugar packed
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1/4 cup
old fashioned rolled oats
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3/4 teaspoon
cinnamon
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1/4 teaspoon
salt
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1 cup
toasted pecans chopped (If you have a nut allergy the nuts can be omitted)
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THE CAKE
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2 cups
all purpose flour
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1 teaspoon
baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon
nutmeg
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2 teaspoons
cinnamon
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1/8 teaspoon
cloves (OPTIONAL, I omitted I do not like cloves)
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1/2 teaspoon
salt
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8 tablespoons
1 stick unsalted butter softened
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1 cup
granulated sugar
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1/2 cup
light brown sugar packed
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4
large eggs at room temperature
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1 1/2 cups
apple cider applesauce
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2
small juicy apples (Macintosh work very well) peeled and sliced
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1/2 cup
toasted pecans chopped OPTIONAL
Directions
- Apple Cider Applesauce
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Clean, peel, core and quarter the apples. Add to a medium saucepan. Add the cider, sugar and salt and boil until apples are soft. Remove from heat and mash (I used a potato masher) keep some small chunks of apples. Set aside to cool.
- The Crumble Topping and Cake
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Make your crumble topping. In small bowl combine the butter, sugar, oats,flour, cinnamon, salt and pecans mix with fork or by hand to combine. Set aside.
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Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat your tube pan with cooking spray or vegetable oil. (I recommend using a non stick pan)
Sift flour, salt, baking soda and spices. Cream butter and white and brown sugar in your electric mixer until smooth about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time make sure egg is incorporated before you add another one. With mixer on low add the applesauce and then the flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Add the optional chopped pecans and fold in.
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Pour batter into oiled pan. Place apple slices on top of cake tucking some into the batter,sprinkle on the crumble topping.
Bake for 60-70 minutes check by inserting cake tester (I used a bamboo skewer) near the middle of the cake and it should come out clean. Remove from oven and let cake cool in pan on wire rack.
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Remove from pan and if you do not serve immediately wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature until ready to serve.
NOTE: if you make in a bundt pan like I do it could take some coaxing to get it out of the pan when cooled.It could be easier to remove from a tube pan because it does not have all the grooves that a bundt pan does.
I have loved to cook for as long as I can remember, am self taught learning as I go. I come from a large Italian family and food was at the center of almost every gathering. My grandfather made his own wine and I remember the barrels of wine in the cellar of my grandfathers home, I watched my mother and aunts making homemade pasta and remember how wonderful it was to sit down to a truly amazing dinner. Cooking for me is a way to express myself its my creative outlet. I enjoy making all types of food but especially enjoy baking,
I live in Brooklyn, NY, and I share my home with my two dogs Izzy and Nando.
I like to collect cookbooks and scour magazines and newspapers for recipes. I hope one day to organize them.
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