Honey Apple Cake

Norene Gilletz

(from The Food Processor Bible)

This moist and delicious cake combines apples and honey, two traditional foods that represent good wishes for a sweet and healthy New Year!  Use a large (14-cup) processor to make this cake or see note below.

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 medium apples, peeled and cut in chunks

3 eggs plus 2 egg whites (or 4 eggs)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup liquid honey

3/4 cup cold tea

1/4 cup brandy

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Steel Blade: Process flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger for 10 seconds, until blended.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Process apples until finely minced, 8-10 seconds.  Measure 1 cup firmly packed and set aside.

Process eggs and egg whites, sugar, oil and honey for 2-3 minutes, until light.  Do not insert pusher in feed tube.  Add dry ingredients to batter alternately with tea and brandy.  Process with quick on/off pulses, just until blended.  Do not over-process.  Add apples and process with quick on/off pulses, just until mixed.

Pour batter into sprayed 12-cup fluted tube pan (Bundt pan).  Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until cake tests done.  A wooden skewer inserted into the center should come out dry.  If necessary, cover top of cake with foil to prevent over-browning.

Let cake cool in pan for 20 minutes.  Carefully loosen with a flexible spatula; invert cake onto a serving plate and let cook completely.

Yield: 15 servings.  Freezes well.

Note: If you don’t have a large processor, add beaten egg mixture to dry ingredients in mixing bowl alternately with tea and brandy.  Mix with a wooden spoon or whisk until blended, about 45 seconds.  Stir in apples.

Additional Comments: If you don’t have brandy on hand, you can substitute Grand Marnier, orange juice or peach brandy.  Apple juice can replace half of the tea for a delicious taste.

Food Editor’s Notes:  Ovens vary, so check the cake after 1 hour.  Mine was ready to come out – no need to cover it with foil.  Before serving, I sprinkled it with powdered sugar for a decorative look.  It was delicious – lots of good comments from people lucky enough to get a piece! 

Reprinted with permission from The Food Processor Bible (464 pages, soft cover, layflat binding, $24.95 U.S.) by Norene Gilletz. For cookbooks, cooking demonstrations and seminars, orders/fundraising information, call 1-888-811-9866 or 416-226-2466 or visit Norene's web site at http://www.gourmania.com.