Moist Double Apple Bundt Cake

This is the cake that I had decided on for the luncheon I catered last Saturday. I wanted a recipe that would go together quickly and easily but be a delicious ending to the rest of the meal, and sort of pull all of the other flavors into it. When I need inspiration I have a couple of cookbooks I invariably turn to – Dorie Greenspan’s Baking From My Home to Yours is one of them. I knew I would find exactly what I was looking for and I did.

I used her Double Apple Cake as the basis for my cake. It was moist and full of autumn flavor: apples and spice. Among the other changes I made I substituted dried cranberries for the raisins called for. I think for best flavor you should use an heirloom type baking apple or a granny smith. Something with a tart, apply flavor. Make sure to let the cake stand, well wrapped, overnight because the flavors really do change. I served it with a smear of dulce de leche, sliced granny smith apple, and a sprinkling of pecans and dried cranberries. Vanilla ice cream or a nutmeg spiced whipped cream would be nice as well.

Since this is an easy, make-ahead dessert it is perfect for making on the weekend and having during the week. It is very sweet so a few slices of a tart apple on the plate are a welcome garnish.

Moist Double Apple Bundt Cake

• 2 cups of flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp  cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (seriously, grate your own…it is easy and it makes a huge difference in flavor)
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 10 tbs butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 1 tsp maple flavoring
• 1 cup apple butter
• 2 apples grated – don’t peel if they are organic
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Grease and flour a bundt cake  pan
3. Sift the flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together. Set aside
4. Beat the butters and sugar at medium speed about 3 minutes.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time beating for a minute or two after each addition
6. Add the flavoring and switch mixer speed to low
7. Spoon in the apple butter slowly, mixing all the while
8. Add in the grated apple
9. Still on low mix in the sifted dry ingredients mixing only until blended
10. Fold in the pecans and cranberries carefully.
11. Spoon into bundt pan, smooth the top and back for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted between the metal tube and the outside edge comes away clean. Time will depend on moisture content of the apples. My cake took 70 minutes to bake
12. Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes, turn out and finish cooling completely
13. Wrap tightly and hold overnight

Serves 10-12