sigh. hello fall.

Summer's over, and I need to come to terms with that. I must accept that it's time to break out my long-sleeved shirts and space heater, and I must face the fact that it's time for some comforting fall food.


Case in point: Fresh apple cake.

New York is an apple-happy state. I've enjoyed experiencing the many varieties of different shapes, sizes, colors, flavors, and textures. One of my favorite finds is the Macoun. Interestingly, one of my co-workers recently told me it's one of the few varieties that she can eat. Apparently she's allergic to a protein found in most types but not present in the Macoun. Good to know.

I'll tell ya--she couldn't have hand-picked a better apple to be able to eat. The Macoun is subtly sweet and perfectly crisp, and I decided it would be the perfect choice for a fresh apple cake. I have a recipe for apple cake that I love, but in the interest of potentially finding something better, I gave another recipe a shot.


The corners are CLEARLY the best part--the glaze trickles down and pools up, ultimately seeping into and saturating those four areas of cake.
We're talking prime real estate, folks.

The resulting delight from FoodMayhem (a wonderfully-maintained and awesomely-titled blog that you should all explore) was everything the quintessential fall treat should be--redolent of warm spices, moist, sweet, and completely comforting. Eating it felt like receiving a giant bear hug. Not a bone-crusher, mind you, but a nice, love-filled squeeze.

Is this my new favorite apple cake? For now, the apple dapple cake reigns supreme, but that's not to say I'd ever turn down a hefty slab of this one.

Fragrant Fresh Apple Cake
(adapted from this recipe)

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups chopped apples

Brown Sugar Glaze (halved)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray down a 13x9-inch pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Separately whisk together eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.