APPLE SEASON!

(wabbit season!)
((ahem))

What better way to celebrate the Apple Harvest in full swing now, than to bake apple cake?

AUNT VICTORIA’S APPLE CAKE

4 cups sliced, peeled apples (4 or 5 baking apples)
1 ½ to 2 cups sugar (can substitute up to ¾ cup light brown sugar)
2 ½ tablespoons cinnamon, ground
½ to 1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 cup raisins (optional)

Mix the above in a non-reactive bowl to evenly coat apples. Macerate one hour, stirring bottom-to-top every 15 minutes. This gets syrupy as the sugar draws out the apple juice.

Prepare two 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 pans by greasing bottoms and sides and dusting lightly with flour. Preheat oven to 375˚F.

Dry ingredients
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
¾ to 1 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Sift or whisk together the dry ingredients. Mix very well.

Whisk together the wet ingredients.

After the apples macerate one hour, mix the wet ingredients with the apples, mix evenly.

Fold in the dry ingredients and mix just until there are no dry spots. Don’t forget the bottom of the bowl.

Divide the batter into the pans and bake for 40 – 50 minutes. Rotate pans after 15 minutes so they bake evenly.

Experts say to use a glass pan, reduce the baking temperature by 25 degrees F.

I haven’t tried this, but I think one 13 x 9 pan should work also. Check out this informative web page for pan size conversion help
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/bakingdish.htm