Off Topic Extra: Chunky Apple Spice Cake with Vanilla Butter Sauce

So this has nothing to do with CFML, but I just had to share my happiness in a cooking experience, and a lovely recipe I discovered. As I mentioned before, my family all came over for Rosh Hashanah dinner yesterday (Jewish New Year). Since this is a joyous holiday, tradition dictates having lots of sweet foods, to symbolize wishing the New Year with lots of sweetness. Anecdotally, this year Ilearned that round foods are also traditional, to symbolize a wish for a "perfect year". So menus often include apples dipped in honey, honey baked carrots, pomegranates, and braised meats. And of course a challah, but round instead of the usual oblong.

This was my first time hosting Rosh Hashanah dinner, and a big deal for me. My grandmother has hosted for ages, but it has gotten to be too much for her, so I took over this year. It was a big honor but also a big responsibility. So planning the menu took some time, as I wanted some traditional favorites, mixed with a few new things. We had chopped liver, babaganoush, mediteranean mezze for starters, matzoh ball soup for first course, braised lamb in pomegranate sauce on cous cous for the main, and honey ginger glazed carrots on the side. The dinner came out well despite missing some of the laborious traditional foods I couldn't even attempt to replicate, such as the Gefilte fish she used to spend 3 days making. The highlight was dessert, for as much as I love my grandmother, dessert was never her thing. She used to make this hockey puck like honey cake from a manashevitz mix...let's just say it was a good thing we were all full from all her other delicious foods by that time.

So this year, I found a recipe for an apple spice cake, and it turned out deliciously. The sauce you pour on top just soaks in and makes it moist, rich and delicious, on top of an already flavorful and moist cake... it all came out lovely. Flavorful, rich, decadent, and different... a real treat. The family all agreed it was definitely going to become a Rosh Hashanah tradition, which made me very happy. And it was very easy to make to boot! With apple season upon us, I thought I would share the recipe with you gals:



Chunky Apple Spice Cake with Vanilla Butter Sauce
12 servings 50 min 10 min prep

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups peeled and chopped apples (Granny Smith or Gala)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins, optional
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Vanilla Butter Sauce
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
Beat butter and brown sugar for 5 minutes in a mixer bowl.
Beat in eggs and vanilla just until blended.
Set aside.
Mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, allspice and salt.
Gradually add to sugar mixture; beating until well blended.
Stir in apples, nuts, and raisins, if desired.
Pour into one greased 9-inch baking pan. (I used two 8" rounds as I couldn't find my 9", then layered them with a layer of sauce in the middle)
Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack 10 minutes.
Serve warm with Vanilla Butter Sauce.
Vanilla Butter Sauce--------------------.
Combine butter and whipping cream with brown sugar.
Bring to boil over medium heat.
Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
Serve warm.
Do-ahead Suggestion: The cake and sauce can be prepared and refrigerated separately the day before.
Warm the cake, in the oven, and the sauce, on top of the stove, before serving.