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Grandma's Moist Apple Cake

Source of Recipe


From "Rick & Lanie's Excellent Kitchen Adventures"






List of Ingredients



• 1 cup (about 4 ounces) chopped nuts (pecans and/or walnuts are a good choice)
  
• 3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
  
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
  
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil, plus a little extra for greasing pan
  
• 4 ounces (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 1/4 cup sour cream, plain or vanilla yogurt, or milk
  
• 3 medium apples (about 1-1/2 lbs.)
  






Instructions



1. Position rack in the middle of the oven. Turn on to 325º F. Melt butter in microwave or on stove almost but not completely. Peel, quarter and core the apples. Cut quarters into small pieces no bigger than 1/2-inch. (You need a generous 3-1/2 cups.)
   
   
2. Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan (or two 9-inch round cake pans). Sprinkle in a little flour. Tilt around to coat bottom completely; it doesn't have to coat sides. Shake out excess.
   
   
3. Toast nuts: Spread nuts on a baking sheet and slide into preheated oven. Bake until toasty smelling -- 7 to 8 minutes for small nuts or pieces, 10 to 12 minutes for larger pieces. Remove nuts from oven and set aside, but leave oven on for baking cake.
   
   
4. Batter: Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt through sifter or wire mesh strainer into medium bowl. In another large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, melted butter, eggs and sour cream, yogurt or milk. Beat with a large spoon to mix well. Add the flour mixture and stir to mix thoroughly. Add apple pieces and nuts. Stir to combine thoroughly. Scoop into prepared pans.
   
   
5. Bake: Slide pan into the oven and bake about 1 hour for Bundt pan or 35 to 40 minutes for layers, until the cake pulls away slightly from the mold and feels springy in the center. Remove and cool for 5 minutes, then unmold onto a cooling rack to cool completely. The cake is great served as is, or for a special presentation, you can glaze it:
   
   ---
   
   CHOCOLATE GLAZE
   
   1/3 cup milk
   4 ounces semisweet chocolate
   3 Tbsp corn syrup
   
   Microwave milk in a glass measuring cup until steaming, about 1 minute at 100% power. Break up the chocolate and put in a food processor to chop finely. With processor still running, slowly pour in hot milk through the feed tube. When smooth, turn off processor. Add corn syrup and process to combine. Let cool until thick enough to drizzle over the cake without entirely running off.
   
   Makes enough for 1 cake.