FOUGERE'S FAVORITES

A Taste of the Orchard

APPLE CAKE FILLED WITH FAMILY TRADITION.

BY SARA FOUGERE · PHOTOS BY L.G. PATTERSON

As I get older and my kids grow into adults, I'm finding all of those little family traditions are becoming more and more important.

I remember going to the apple orchards in the fall with my family, running down the rows of apple trees, bucket swinging, while my mom and grandmother sat in the shade and talked to people they only saw a few times a year. We would take those apples home and from them would come pies, old-fashioned apple sauce and an apple cake my grandmother made in a pretty beat up aluminum pan.

I keep dragging my kids to these orchards on the hopes that someday, like a while from now, they will take their children and I will be the grandmother sitting in the shade. And when we do this, I will make this cake.

It reminds me of the cake of my childhood, but honestly (sorry, grandma) it’s better. The cream cheese gives it such a beautiful texture and baking in a springform pan always makes me feel a little fancy, even though it is actually easier than regular pans because nothing gets stuck in the corners. I prefer a nice, locally grown Jonathan apple because I like the tartness, but I've baked this with whatever apple we happen to have and it's always great. Kind of dessert-y and kind of let's-have-this-for-breakfast, it never fails to please — kind of like a day in an orchard.

Apple Cake

1¾ cups sugar, divided ½ cup softened unsalted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 8 ounces softened cream cheese 2 eggs 1½ cups flour 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ tablespoon salt 2 tablespoons cinnamon 3 cups chopped apples (Jonathans are my favorite. I sometimes peel and other times don’t.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat 1½ cups sugar, butter, vanilla and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy and well blended, about 4 minutes in a mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and beat on low speed until blended.

Combine remaining ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar cinnamon mixture to the chopped apples. Stir into batter. Pour batter into an 8- or 9-inch greased springform pan. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and cinnamon mixture.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack, then cut along ring of pan and remove sides. It can be baked in a 9-inch square pan, but the baking time should be adjusted as it won’t take as long.

The holiday season is not always filled with cheer and happy memories. Holiday Blues may be common for you. If it becomes too much, reach out for help. Holiday Blues

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