My first introduction to Jewish Apple Cake was by Phyllis Oschman, a wonderful Italian-American home baker. It’s the perfect fall cake, dense and moist with layers of cinnamon-sugar coated apples. It works beautifully for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, when apples are traditionally eaten to symbolize the hope for a sweet year ahead. Like its German counterpart, Jewish apple cake uses oil instead of butter, making it pareve and suitable for meals where meat is served, an important consideration in Jewish cooking. I substitute applesauce for the oil which makes the batter slightly sweeter.
The simplicity and rustic charm of Jewish Apple Cake is similar to other European apple cakes, like the Polish szarlotka, where the fruit is the star. No special occasion is needed to enjoy it as a dessert or breakfast treat. It’s especially nice toasted, and the few leftovers I had were perfect for a bread pudding two days after baking. Plus, it’s a great potluck dish that transports well.
Ingredients
For the batter:
- •Butter, as needed for greasing pan
- •4 large eggs
- •396 grams (2 cups) granulated sugar
- •237 ml (1 cup) unsweetened natural applesauce
- •237 ml (1 cup) orange juice
- •2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- •500 grams (4 cups unsifted) all-purpose flour
- •4 teaspoons baking powder
- •1 teaspoon salt
- •1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (optional)
For the apples:
- •5-6 tart apples such as Granny Smith, Macintosh, Golden Delicious or Roman
- •165 grams (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
- •2 teaspoons cinnamon
- •1/2 teaspoon nutmeg*
*A pinch of cardamom is also nice; adjust to suit your preferences.
Preparation
For the batter: Preheat oven to 177°C (350°F). Butter a tube pan well. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs until thick, not foamy. Beat in the sugar. Add applesauce, orange juice, and vanilla and mix on low speed.
Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Stir into the egg mixture to make a thick batter.
For the apples: Peel, core, and slice the apples (not too thin). Mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and any other spice of your choosing. Mix apples slices with 118 ml (1/2 cup), and set aside the remaining 60 ml (1/4 cup).
To assemble the cake, spread half of the batter in bottom of pan. Add half of the apples. Add remaining batter, then the rest of the apples. Top with the remaining sugar mixture. Bake on center rack in oven until the cake is golden and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Allow to cool completely in pan before removing and slicing.