When we first moved to America, we lived in a small, 2-bedroom house….all 7 of us! It was a very busy li’l household that we called “Hotel California,” because we always had relatives staying with us.
The backyard was tiny, but we didn’t care, because Dad got us a plastic pool and that’s all we needed to splash around on hot summer days.
Sundays were for family. Everyone would come over in the afternoon – no invitation needed and we’d bbq. Dad would grill some eggplant and Mom would turn it into a smoky salad. The table was teeming with fresh herbs, kabob, breads and we’d all sit together, laughing, talking, sharing stories about the past week.
I cleared my plate and waited patiently until it was time for sweets. Armenian coffee and Mom’s famous apple cake. Crunchy streusel crumbles on top, a layer of tart apples, then a fluffy cinnamon cake.
Set your own family traditions with Mom’s help.
Use two 8 by 8 cake pans or one big 9 by 13 pan.
Mom’s Apple Cake
Fruit:
5-6 medium Granny Smiths, chopped
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
juice & zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup starch
Cake:
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1Tb b. powder
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 c butter
2 eggs
1 c whole milk
vanilla
Streusel:
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c flour
1/4 c butter
1/2 c walnuts, chopped
Preheat to 350*F.
Cook apples, sugar & water over stovetop under fruit is tender, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice & zest. Finish with starch, stir until thick.
Take fruit off of heat and allow it to cool.
For the cake, sift all the dry ingredients together into a large bowl. Cut the butter to a sandy crumble.
Mix eggs, milk, vanilla, then add to the dry mixture.
Spread half of the batter onto a greased 9×13 baking pan, top with the cooled fruit, then finish with the rest of the batter.
For the streusel, sift the sugar & flour, cut in the butter until the mixture crumbles. Sprinkle over the cake
and
bake for about 45 minutes @ 350*F.
Do a toothpick-test at the center of the cake to be sure it’s fully baked.
Serve warm with ice cream.
Every bite takes me back to those happy summer nights when I was a kid.
But, life’s short. So have that 2nd slice!
