I made this cake a few weeks back to celebrate the Jewish New Year. Traditionally, apples (and honey) are served in abundance during the 10 day period between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Eating this combination stems from an age-old Jewish tradition of eating sweet foods to express our hope for a sweet new year.
I was a bit nervous to serve this cake as one never knows how it will turn out. I did take a little nibble from the bottom of the cake and it was tasty. The true test came when the kids took their first bite. My niece, Ruby, and my nephew, Luca were raving and saying things like, “this is the best cake I have ever eaten”.
They stole little slices, wrapped them in plastic wrap and vowed to eat them the next morning. According to their parents, the cake never made it to the next morning!
I added toasted walnuts and bittersweet chocolate chips (maybe a 1/3 of cup of each). Otherwise, I made the cake as is. I didn’t have the time to convert it to a gluten free version. Now that I know it is a first, class winner, I will put the time into it and try and recreate it. Stay tuned!
This is a good, all-year-round cake. And with all of the holiday’s quickly approaching, I suggest making this and impressing your guests. The original recipe can be found here, from Saveur. Come back and let me know if you agree that it’s “the best cake ever!
Susan Salzman writes The Urban Baker blog to explore her dedication to good food in the hope of adding beauty to the lives of her family and friends.