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My mother definitely had a sweet tooth, as is evident by the heavy proportion of handwritten recipes for sweet dessert recipes – like this New England Apple Cider Cake – compared to the fewer number of savory recipes in her recipe box!
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INGREDIENTS
For the Cake
- 1 cup apple cider
- 2 cups Granny Smith apples (3 large or 4 small apples)
- 1 whole lemon
- ¼ cup softened butter (4 tablespoons or half a stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup heavy cream
Enough vegetable shortening to grease a 9×9-inch baking pan
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- For the Glaze
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- Vanilla Ice Cream, optional for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place the first cup of apple cider on the stove and bring to a boil and boil until reduced to ¼ cup. Set aside to cool.
- Core and peel the apples and then cut each into 16 slices (fewer slices if using smaller apples). Have a bowl of water that has a whole lemon squeezed into it. Place apples into water and then onto a plate to dry and set aside. This will keep them from turning brown.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until well mixed.
- With the mixer running, add one egg at a time beating until smooth. Scrap sides and beat until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
- In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Measure out cream and add cooled reduced cider to cream.
- With the mixer on low, alternate adding the flour mixture and the cream/cider mixture until well combined. Scrape sides and mix until smooth.
- Grease a 9X9 square pan liberally with vegetable shortening and pour in the batter.
- Arrange the apples, outer edges up into the top of the batter.
- In a small bowl or cup, mix the sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the cake and place in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, make the glaze.
- Place the second cup of apple cider on the stove as before only reduce down to two tablespoons. Watch it that it doesn't evaporate too far.
- Place the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl and add the reduced cider along with one tablespoon of milk or cream and stir. Add the last tablespoon of milk or cream a little at a time until desired consistency. It should be thick but runny enough to drizzle off the end of a spoon.
- When the cake comes out of the oven, cool to room temperature and cut into nine squares.
- Drizzle the glaze over each portion letting it run down the sides and serve.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.
