Company's Coming Apple Cake and a Plug for a GREAT New Cookbook

Even though I’ve never seen the TV show, I am a huge fan of the Fabulous Beekman Boys, and Craig surprised me with the 1802 Heirloom Cookbook when it came out a few months ago. It is nothing short of fabulous (pun intended). And, yes, this is an unpaid endorsement for this cookbook! The photos of the food, the produce, and the farm are all gorgeous. It is laid out by season, the way I like to cook, and the recipes are authentic, homey, and easy to follow even for a novice, with interesting narratives about most recipes. Since I scribble all over my cookbooks, Josh and Brent provide space on every page for recipe notes. I like that. Visiting the farm is certainly on my bucket list.

I’m a bit reluctant to post yet-another less-than-light recipe because I do try to keep our diet healthy, but the apple cake is just too good not to praise. It’s made with simple ingredients you typically have on hand, other than perhaps apples, and it comes together quickly. Any kind of apple can be used, but the recipe cautions against Granny Smiths that tend to be too dry and McIntoshes, which get mushy. Rich-tasting, low-fat** buttermilk results in a tender crumb and more body. I used slightly less sugar and changed the ratio of whole wheat and all-purpose flours; with two sticks of butter, it was still melt-in-your mouth moist. I upped the cinnamon and nutmeg and added cloves and ground ginger, producing more of an apple SPICE cake, so your house will smell heavenly. The original recipe indicates it keeps several days at room temperature, assuming it lasts that long.

Company’s Coming Apple Cake

Original recipe from The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook

(This recipe reflects the changes I made.)

Serves 12-16

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 C granulated sugar
3/4 C packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 C white whole wheat pastry flour
1 C all-purpose flour
2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 t cloves

1/4 t ground ginger

1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 C buttermilk (mix 1 T lemon juice with enough skim milk to make 1 C and allow to thicken)

2 C diced, peeled apple, 1/2"-dice, about 2-3 apples

Streusel:
1/4 C light brown sugar, packed
1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 t ground cinnamon
4 T butter, melted
1/2 C walnuts (original recipe indicates pecans as an option)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and line it with a layer of heavy-duty foil, leaving a two-inch overhang on each of the short ends. Butter the foil.

With a stand-mixer or hand-beaters, beat the butter until creamy, roughly 1 minute. Gradually beat in the two sugars until fluffy, 2-3 minutes. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flours, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together with a fork or small whisk. Set aside.

Add the eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time, beating after each addition just to incorporate. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour.

Fold in the apples just until combined. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan; don’t overmix the batter

For the streusel:

Use a pastry blender or two knives, and mix together all of the ingredients except the nuts together until it is coarse crumbles. Add the nuts and scatter the topping over the coffee cake batter in an even layer.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Cool completely on a rack before serving. Lift it out of the pan using the foil overhang as handles.

Printable Recipe