Carolyn Braden Says "The Yummiest Apple Cake!"

Here's a recipe from Southern Living magazine this month that rocks!  It is Fresh Apple Cake.  After a visit to Huber's Orchard in Starlight IN over the weekend, I decided to try making it tonight.  Of course I tweaked the recipe a little, but it is yummy!


Here is it:
1/2 cup butter, melted (use real butter!)
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 lb. Granny Smith apples (that's about 4 large apples), peeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick wedges (then cut the wedges in halves)
If you like nuts, you can add either 1 1/2 cups chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  If you are adding the nuts, bake them in a single layer in a shallow pan for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
Stir together butter, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl until blended.
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  Add to butter mixture and stir until blended.  Stir in the apples and 1 cup of the nuts (if you wanted the nuts).  
Note!  The batter will be really thick!  Almost cookie-dough thick!
Spread batter into a lightly greased 13x9 inch pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.  
Cool completely.
Spread the Browned Butter Frosting over the cake when cool and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of nuts (if you want). 




Browned Butter Frosting
1 cup butter (use real butter!)
1 (16oz.) package powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract


Cook butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Cook 6-8 minutes or until butter begins to turn a golden brown. Remove pan from heat immediately, and pour butter into a small bowl.  Cover and chill 1 hour or until butter is cool and begins to solidify.
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add powered sugar alternately with milk, beginning and ending with powdered sugar.  
Beat mixture at low speed until well blended after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.