We love desserts, but lack the time to make them…thank goodness, because if we had the time to make desserts as often as we wanted, we’d probably be more than a little overweight. As it is, we find the time about once a week to stir together something delicious to satisfy our sweet tooth. Usually it’s fruit-based. Given our busy schedules and our preference for healthy and easy cooking, most of our recipes are far different than what you’ll find in the average cookbook. We put together our own recipes, usually using our extensive recipe collection for ideas. This apple cake is inspired by an old family recipe. We cut down the sugar, and substituted some wheat germ for a little of the flour. We also changed the steps to make it easier to put together.
Use any kind of apple you want in this cake. Any kind will work. We keep a big basket of apples on our counter, and so what I grabbed were a few small granny smith apples, a pink lady, and a couple of galas. This is the perfect recipe for apples that are slightly soft, and losing their crispness. There’s a sweet crunchy topping that covers the top. Although this topping is our favorite, we can also tell you that it is NOT REQUIRED. If you feel like living healthier, then leave off this buttery sugar concoction. You’ll save yourself a few calories (but we can tell you that it does indeed taste pretty good if you leave it on).
This is a delicious middle of the week dessert, and it goes together quickly.
Easy apple cake
2/3 cup butter, at room temperature
3 eggs
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ½ cups milk (we used cream this time, because that’s what we had on hand)
2 cups flour
½ cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 ½ cups apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (this is about 6 small apples)
½ cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
Preheat oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 11 X 7 inch pan (or something close enough).
In a large bowl, stir together the 2/3 cup butter, eggs, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup white sugar, and the vanilla. Stir in the milk. On top of the mixture, dump the flour, wheat germ, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and the 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Stir together all at once, until just well combined. Fold in the chopped apples and nuts.
Pour into the prepared pan.
Stir together the 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ½ cup brown sugar, and the 2 tablespoons butter. Use your fingers to dot this mixture evenly over the top of the cake.
Place in the oven, and bake for 1 hour, until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
