I made my Grandma Gertrude's Apple Cake yesterday afternoon. Doing so was a trip down memory lane, as my recipe card is one she typed up on her old manual typewriter to give me at a recipe shower that was held in my honor the spring of 1973.

Grandma's recipe would not pass muster with most of today's young cooks. It doesn't even say how hot to set the oven, nor how long to cook the "cake," which is really more of a torte or pie, in my opinion.

It's a delicious recipe, if one knows how to decipher it, however. One of my favorite apple desserts in the world.

Here's the recipe as handed down by grandma, and at the end, I'll add my comments in case anyone would like to give it a try...



There you have it! I wish I could share the actual card, with the old manual typewriter type. It is precious to me!

Now, here are my comments:

Basic ingredients:

Crust:
1-1/4 C. flour
1/2 t. salt
1 stick (8 T.) butter
1 T. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1 egg yolk
2 T. milk
4-6 apples, cored, peeled and cut into 1/8ths

Streusle Toping:
3/4 C. white sugar
1-1/2 T. flour
2 T. butter
2 T. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg

I have a shortcut for making the crust. Instead cutting the butter into the dry ingredients with two knives or a pastry blender ( NOTE: "pastry cutter" is another word for this same tool), I put the dry ingredients into the bowl of my Kitchen Aide mixer, and attach the whip attachment. Then I cut the cold butter into small dice and turn on the mixer. In a matter of a minute or so, you have nicely integrated shortening, without having to go to a lot of trouble.

Then I switch to the regular beater, add the egg yolk and milk and mix for another minute or two, until I have a nice dough. I am sure you could also use a food processor, but I don't own one...

After I have patted the crust into a 13 x 9 pan (I guess my crust is thinner than hers, but it is plenty thick, IMHO) I place the apples onto the crust neatly, in rows.

Once that is done, I toss all the streusle ingredients back into the same mixer bowl, reattach the whip and quickly create nice crumbs for the topping. I DO include cinnamon and I think the addition of the nutmeg makes it even better.

Finally, bake for 25 minutes at 425-degrees F.

Let cool and enjoy! (by the way, my mother and grandmother always served their apple cake with a small slice of sharp cheddar cheese. I think it is a very nice touch. A good counter balance to the apples and sugar.)

If you decide to make this, cake, let me know how it turns out. It's always been a hit whenever I've served it.