Off the Menu

Comforting Cinnamon Apple Cake

Story by Mary Mack, recipe by Tim Garvey

Although spring’s official start may be approaching on March 20, random chilly days and even snowfalls still may give many people reason to indulge in a blissful baked good – like the comforting cinnamon apple cake from Tim Garvey of Pretzel Boy’s.

Since 2011, Garvey – with his wife, Jamie, and brother, Matt – has delighted metro area residents with the business’ doughy, twisted tasty creations. Known for delighting customers at events and parties with their impressive pretzel shapes and snack spreads, the Garveys now have extended their reach to three locations in the area. (They also make Pete’s Pops, gourmet ice pops ranging in flavor from avocado to golden milk and sweet matcha tea.)

After a long few years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Garvey says he’s looking forward to this spring and summer, during which he and his team will return to the community in a big way – from markets to outside Busch Stadium with their pretzel and pop pushcarts and stands.

Garvey says his mom still makes this cake (adapted from a recipe she ripped from a 1997 issue of Cooking Light magazine) every February on his birthday – adding that the cream cheese gives it just the right amount of moisture. ln Pretzel Boy’s, multiple locations, stlpretzelboys.com Pete’s Pops, mobile, petespopsstl.com

Ingredients

 1¾ cup sugar  ½ cup margarine, softened  1 tsp vanillaextract  6 ounces cream cheese, softened  2 large eggs  1½ cups all-purpose fl our  1½ tsp baking powder  ¼ tsp salt  2 tsp ground cinnamon  3 cups peeled and chopped

Rome apples

Preparation | Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat 1½ cups sugar with the margarine, vanilla and cream cheese in a mixer at medium speed until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, and then add dry mixture to wet ingredients, beating at a low speed until blended.

Combine ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon, and then mix with chopped apples in a bowl. Stir apple mixture into batter to combine; then pour batter into a greased 8-inch springform pan, and sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon mixture.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan. Let cake cool completely on a wire rack. When you are ready to cut, use a serrated knife.

NOTE: If you cannot find Rome apples, Pink Lady or Honeycrisp can be used as alternatives. If you don’t have a springform pan, you can use a 9-inch swore cake pan and reduce the cook time by minutes.