Apple Cake

How are my easties?  Still under tons of snow?  We might as well have had 3 feet, it has been so blah, cloudy, flurrying, might as well be snow on the ground since it is going to be so gloomy anyway kind of weather.  But ALAS...........  I have brought you CAKE!  Cake makes everything better!

As many of you know, I am not a huge fan of the fruit, all fruit.  Apples are one fruit, I can take.  This recipe came from simply, apples being on sale.   Sometimes that is how recipes happen, I find a good deal, and then I WORK it out!  I don't like fake flavors, and I don't like eating an apple cake that appears to have NO apples at all, whatsoever, in the cake.  This cake should rectify that for anyone who is like me.  I used a cake mix, but if you have a fantastic yellow cake recipe you want to whip up and work into this, get on with your bad self, I was in a cake mix state of mind.

It doesn't matter what kind of apples you use, just use apples.  I know I am supposed to have some technical jargon on why you use this apple for this and that apple for that, but the truth is, I don't care enough to figure that out.  Remember my feelings for the fruit?  The frosting is SAAAAWEET, and the cake is pure bliss.  I doubt the kind of apples you use is going to make the kind of difference some people are looking for in their life.  Sometimes you just have to accept the WHOLE apple.........no matter its background and just be one, with the apple.

Yellow Cake Mix
Apple Juice
1 T. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 med applies, peeled and cut into whatever size you prefer

Frosting:
4 oz. of cream cheese
2 T. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
Milk (if needed, my ingredients were VERY soft and I didn't need it)
1 cup chopped nuts of your choice to sprinkle on top (Optional)

Preheat your oven to the temperature recommended on your cake mix, likely 350 degrees F.  Follow directions to mix up the cake mix, EXCEPT use apple juice in place of the water.  Add in cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, and mix until combined.

 

Dump in your chopped apples, any apples will do, and mix with a spoon.

Pour into greased 9x13 pan (preferably an old horrible looking one from your childhood that brings you joy) and bake for the recommended amount of time.  If you are not sure if  it is done, stick a toothpick or piece of uncooked spaghetti in the middle, if it comes out clean with no wet batter on it, you are in business.  With the addition of the apples/moisture it may take a couple of minutes longer, so don't be surprised if that happens.

Let cool...........

In your stand mixer or in a mixing bowl, add in all frosting ingredients.  Using the whisk attachment let beat for 3 minutes.  If you are using a stand mixer, mix the same amount of time.  When the cake is cooled, frost it up and dig in!  Enjoy the chunks of apples, the spicy cinnamon and the sweet brown sugar!