Apple Cake

Apples are also in season in the stores right now. Here is another apple recipe that is perfect for school lunches or a crew of harvesters. When you are slicing the apples, be sure to leave on the peel, as that is where many of the beneficial nutrients are. They have also been shown to aid in weight loss and help balance blood sugar, so be sure to eat them raw as well. Apples have so many health benefits, that it is hard to detail them all, but here are a few. Apples contain malic acid, which helps clean the liver of toxins. Apples also contain acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter needed in the brain, which has positive benefits for mental health, clearer thinking and Alzheimer’s. The fiber in apples is important for gut and immune health. In the skin of apples are compounds called triterpenoids that help prevent tumor growth. The soluble fiber in apples helps reduce bad cholesterol, and the phenolic compounds help to keep our arteries cleaner, and there fore rusting in better heart health. So, you see an apple a day, really can help keep the doctor away. There are many varieties of apples that grow in our regions, and if you plant one in your back yard you will have lots of healthy apples this time of year.

Apple Cake

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups thinly sliced apples

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping

3 tablespoons white or brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Thinly slice two apples and then cut the slices into wide 1-inch strips. Stir the apple slices into butter sugar mixture. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir the flour mixture into the apple mixture. Pour into an 8 x 8-inch baking pan. Sprinkle the sugar cinnamon topping mixture on top of the cake and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

This cake is fine without icing, but if you would like to ice it, then you can eliminate the sugar and cinnamon topping and ice the cake with a spice butter cream icing. For the spice icing, you can use such spices as: cinnamon, ginger, cloves and allspice. This cake would also be great served warm, with ice cream.