In the south, food is our memory. Stretching back through space and time, it tastes like family. It tells our story. And the foods we value most, tell the stories that are dearest to our hearts. So, it is no wonder that one of the first things I do when the morning air gets crisp is make my mamaw’s fresh apple cake.
It’s one of those old recipes that she got from a Wesson Cooking Oil label countless years ago and kept as a snipping stuck in the pages of one of her recipe books. That snipping would wave at us from in between those pages all year long. Making us talk about it, “Do you remember when we had that apple cake…?” Prompting us to ask about it, “When are you going to make another one of those apple cakes?”
We all knew that when the apples got ripe on the trees, Pawpaw would get a hankering, and only then would she get to baking and not a minute sooner. But it didn’t keep us from watching for the day when she would slip that snipping from between its pages and start chopping apples.
I received my very own Xerox copy (yes, xerox) of this recipe when I moved away from home. With its overly dark black print, grainy and smudged body, it too is a snipping, clipped from the rest of the blank page that it was copied on. It’s kept safe between the pages of those same cookbooks that used to sit on her counter, but now sit on mine. And it’s removal still heralds the glories of fall and all the memories that can be crammed into one worn Bundt pan.
Fresh Apple Cake
Full of chopped apples and walnuts, this rustic seasonal cake is perfect for breakfast or anytime! Ingredients
- 3/4 C Wesson oil
- 2 C sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3 tsp vanilla
- 3 C flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 C walnuts (coarsely chopped) (Nuts are always optional if they aren’t your thing.)
- 3 C apples (coarsely chopped, fresh/unpeeled and uncooked) wax paper
- Bundt or tube pan
Preparation Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine the first 4 ingredients. Stir by hand until smooth. (I used my mixer! See below.*) Sift together the soda, salt, and flour. Add the sifted mixture to the wet ingredients. Beat by hand 200 strokes. 
Fold in the nuts and apples. 
Cut strips of wax paper and line the bottom of the tube pan. 
Turn the cake batter into the tube pan. 
Bake for one hour. 
Remember to take the wax paper off of the bottom of the cake when you take it from the pan. 
*I use my stand mixer for this recipe. 200 strokes is just about more than my arms can take with this thick and heavy batter. But I love the recipe just as my grandmother gave it to me, so I shared it here in its original form.
- 3/4 C Wesson oil
- 2 C sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3 tsp vanilla
- 3 C flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 C walnuts (coarsely chopped) (Nuts are always optional if they aren’t your thing.)
- 3 C apples (coarsely chopped, fresh/unpeeled and uncooked) wax paper
- Bundt or tube pan
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the first 4 ingredients. Stir by hand until smooth.
- Sift together the soda, salt, and flour. Add the sifted mixture to the wet ingredients. Beat by hand 200 strokes.
- Fold in the nuts and apples.
- Cut strips of wax paper and line the bottom of the tube pan.
- Turn the cake batter into the tube pan.
- Bake for one hour
- Remember to take the wax paper off of the bottom of the cake when you take it from the pan.
Are you ready for fall? Then these other ASD favorites might be just what you need!
- Celebrate Autumn with A Rustic Pear Galette
- A Vintage Tailgate & 2 Other Must-Haves for This Weekend’s Big Game
Check out Mamaw’s Fresh Apple Cake and other great Southern recipes on Meal Plan Monday, Weekend Potluck and Foodie Friday!
***Pin this Fresh Apple Cake Recipe Here!***
Sharing this with my married daughter!
I’ve got some apples I need to use in a recipe and this sounds perfect!! Mmmmm!!!!!!
And I love your storytelling – using old family recipes is one of my favorite things! ?
Just curious — why the wax paper ?
Hi, Karen!
This cake is very dense and moist since the fruit goes into the batter uncooked. The wax paper helps to remove the cake from the pan cleanly and easily. You should be able to lift the cake right out with the edges of the paper!
Bring on apple season! Thank you so much for sharing your family’s treasured Apple Cake recipe with all of us at Weekend Potluck, Stacey. We hope to see you again tomorrow! Have a great weekend.
I am ready for apple season too! Just tickled that you visited, Mary! Thank you so much. It was my pleasure to share!
Sounds yummylicious! Think I will add a little cinnamon and see how it turns out! Thank you so much for sharing!
I am a huge cinnamon fan! I am sure it will be great!
Do you know if it’s possible to make this in a pan other than a Bundt? Thanks!
I have never made it in another pan. I am sure it would affect baking time and temp, so trial and error would be the name of the game. But it’s worth a try!
Just came across this recipe, it sounds delicious! What kind of apples do you use? Thanks!
I have used Red Delicious and Honey Crisp in the past.
I am going to make this beautiful this week!! I love cranberries and was wondering if I could add some to this recipe? And if so, how much? Thank you!!!!
Oooo! Cranberries sound delish! I think they would make a great addition. Maybe try a 1/2 a cup?