fall = apples + spices (and everything nice)

ok, ok, i know it’s been a long time. i’ve been taking care of things that needed to be taken care of, and i’m finally getting some good cooking and baking time in, these days. i’m in the process of looking for a really good apple cake – because really, what’s better in the fall than a nice, spicy apple cake? well, besides chicken pot pie. anyway, i’ve tried three or four so far, and have discovered the following preferences:

• no oil-based cakes. because honestly, they never taste quite that good, and though moist, the crumb is never quite tight enough. i cannot condone an oil-based cake. butter is a flavor, people, and don’t you forget it!
• i am looking for a spiced apple cake, in particular – it’s fall! i quite enjoy the flavor of apple on its own, but that’s another kind of cake (one which would pair apples with slivers of candied lemon…mmm…). it should be spicy, but not so much that it overpowers the apple.
• no exotic ingredients, and nothing that is too expensive (ie, apple butter)
• i like the idea of this as a cake that has a bit of chew to it – so nothing too moist. my connotations to overly moist cake is cold and slimy, so i just don’t like to go there.
• i’m not a huge fan of nuts in cakes. i think i would actually enjoy walnuts in an apple cake, but generally i leave them out for the other no-nuts people.
• not too sweet: i am not a huge fan of cakes that are too sweet. i don’t like undersweetened cakes either, though.
• i am so over these apple cake recipes that specify “medium apples” or “large apples.” what, pray tell me, is a “medium apple”? a “large apple”? can’t we go with a cup measure of grated apples instead? honestly. precision is a cornerstone of baking!

of the cakes that i’ve tried, one fails the exotic ingredients test, one fails the sweetness test, and one fails the oil-based cake texture test. we are just going to forget oil-based cakes altogether…we are going to forget that they exist. because we like flavor, yes? i am including the cake that fails the exotic ingredients test – it’s just that it has a lot of apple butter in it, which is lovely, but a little expensive for a cake. the third…well, let’s just say that the third is in development!

double-apple spiced bundt cake
(adapted from dorie greenspan)

2c flour
2t baking powder
1/2 baking soda
1t cinnamon
1/4t nutmeg
1/4t ground ginger
1/4t salt
1 1/4 sticks butter, room temp
1 1/2c brown sugar
2 eggs
1c apple butter
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and grated
1c pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
1/2c raisins (or 1c raisins if you omit the nuts)

1. preheat oven to 350F. butter and flour a 10- or 12-cup bundt pan.

2. in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar for about five minutes (this develops the structure of the cake).

3. add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each one completely before adding the next. add the apple butter on low speed. the mixture may appear to be curdled, but don’t worry, that’s fine.

4. using a spatula, fold in the grated apple until completely blended in. stir in the dry ingredients and mix until the flour is just completely incorporated. fold in the raisins and nuts (if using).

5. scrape the batter into the bundt pan and smooth the top. bake for about 50-55 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. cool the cake for five minutes, then invert onto a plate.

[serves 10-12; keeps in the fridge, wrapped, for a week.]