Apple-Cranberry Cake

by Sheila Connolly

You’re going to be seeing a string of baked treats from me over the next few weeks. Why? Because it’s been snowing in my home state for the past month (new records right and left), and there’s a five-foot drift outside my kitchen door and I can measure the icicles in feet instead of inches. When I’m snowed in I feel the urge to bake.

The last of my 2014 crop

I can already hear you whining, “Not another apple recipe!” Well, I’m trying to use up the last of my 2014 apple crop. Yes, I’ve kept some in my fruit bin in the refrigerator, just to see what happens to them over time (research for the Orchard Mysteries, of course). Some varieties hold up better than others. But keep in mind that storing apples over the winter is a time-honored tradition, at least in New England where winters are long, so I’m just following my ancestors.

I didn’t have a lot left, which means I kind of mixed and matched for this recipe. That’s not a problem, because they differ in flavor and texture, and they all sort of even out in the end. The fact that they had softened with age didn’t matter with this recipe either, since the apples are shredded and put into the batter. One note: I’m not wild about peeling apples (or anything else, for that matter). My antique apple peelers are the exception, because they’re fun to use, but they work only on firm fresh apples, which these weren’t. So…I just cored them and shredded them in the Cuisinart without peeling. Hey, roughage is good for you, and as you’ll see, the skins more or less vanished in the cooking.
Three medium-sized apples yield 4 cups shredded fruit, if you use a food processor. This batter will be stiff, but it’s important to keep mixing until the apples and cranberries are evenly distributed.

Apple Cranberry Cake

1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
10 Tblsp (1-1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
3 large apples, cored, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Shredded apples (with peel)

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg to blend them.

In a stand mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter with the granulated and brown sugars until well blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. With the mixer set at its lowest speed, blend in the flour mixture.

You might have noticed by now that 

most of us on MLK like to take pictures
of our mixer spinning

Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. With a rubber spatula (or something pretty heavy-duty), stir in the apples and cranberries (and walnuts if you’re using them) until they are evenly distributed. Spread the batter in the pan.

Bake the cake for 65 to 70 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Ready to bake

After baking

I’m not sure whether this recipe wants to be a cake or bars—it works either way. If you’re thinking “cake” you can serve it warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

An Early Wake, released February 3rd, was a New York Times Paperback bestseller in its first week, and ranked #10 among Barnes & Noble paperbacks. The reviews have been heartwarming, and I am so happy that I've been able to make readers see Ireland the way I see it.

Go raibh maith agat!