Michael and Michelle arrive this evening. I can hardly wait. I couldn't sleep this morning, so I got up at 5:00 and had my coffee while I reorganized my beading studio in the kitchen. There is always something to be done there, and this morning I looked through the silver order from Bali that came last week. Beautiful silver that I'm just aching to make into something gorgeous.
George and I made a cake last night. I got the recipe out of the Boston Globe. It is apple walnut bundt cake and it turned out perfectly. It was a well crafted recipe and not to be taken lightly. Toasted nuts, melted butter, beating for specific times between additions, but we followed the recipe exactly and had a great time. The cake is beautiful, and once the glaze is on it, I'm going to love serving it tonight with dinner. We are going out to Harrow's to pick up their famous chicken pot pie for dinner. A little time-saving is needed when one works all day on Thanksgiving Eve.
I have decided to put the recipe here, even though it is rather long. I hope someone else makes it and enjoys the process as much as George and I did last night.
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Spiced and Glazed Apple Cake
Cake Batter
3 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
¾ t. salt
1 t. baking soda
¾ t. baking powder
¾ t. salt
2 T. ground cinnamon
½ t. nutmeg
½ t. ground cardamom
1 ¼ c. chopped walnuts
Lightly toasted and cooled
1 c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 T. canola oil
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 ¼ c. lightly packed, peeled and shredded apples
Set oven for 350 degrees.
In a bowl, sift the flour baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom
In a bowl, toss the walnuts with 2 T. flour mixture
In electric mixer, blend the butter on oil on med. Low speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on medium low speed for 1 minute. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 45 seconds after each addition. Increase the speed to medium high and beat for 2 minutes. This beating is crucial to the texture and volume of the finished cake.
Blend in the vanilla. On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula.
Blend in the apples. Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the walnuts. Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
Bake the cake for 60 – 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake is clean. The cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the pan. Set the cake on a rack to cool for 15 minutes. (Use a timer!) Turn it out of the pan. Place a sheet of waxed paper under the rack to catch drips of the glaze.
Glaze:
1 ½ c. confectioner’s sugar
½ t. cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into 4 pieces
3 T. apple cider.
In a bowl, mix the sugar. Add butter and apple cider and mix with a hand mixer. Beat at low speed. Put a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the glaze and let stand for 30 minutes.
While the cake is still warm, spoon and spread the glaze on the top of the cake, letting it flow down the sides. Let the cake stand 1 hour before cutting with a serrated knife.
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Have a great day.
