Opening Up the Vault.

Norwegian Apple Cake.  MMMmmm.  I gave a half-ass version to Mariko awhile back (it was literally a "half" and missing the icing), and today I made two to take to a little get-together tonight.  It's a good traveling cake.  Moist and solid and nothing too controversial.  It's super good.  It comes to me via my mom's family and prior to that, probably some cooking/homemaker type publication.  Or church cookbook.  You know the kind. 

Sift together:
1 cup plus 2 Tb flour
1t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 cup sugar

Cut it into 1/2 cup margarine or butter (I get all crazy and use earth balance).  Will look crumbly like pastry dough.

Beat one egg and spread over mixture stirring it up lightly.  Still crumbly. 

Separately, mix together:
2 apples, peeled and grated
3 Tb sugar
Some cinnamon (oooh, scientific)

Spread half of the dough out int a greased, 8" round cake tin.  Pat into place gently (it's okay if there are a few holes).  Spread apples out on top.  Spoon remaining dough over top of that (evenly, but again, there will be holes.) 

Bake at 375 for 45-50 min.  Let cool in the pan, and gently turn out. 

**Serve with drizzled icing.  I make mine with icing sugar, margarine, vanilla, water (and for this-- a little nutmeg).  And ice cream.  Or whipped cream (like tonight).

 

Now,  I made two-- and I mixed them up at the same time, but I did it in separate bowls so that it all got divided out evenly.   We had breakfast company yesterday and thankfully somebody took sugar in their coffee revealing the fact that my container of sugar had been contaminated with a bunch of  salt (!?).  The great corn muffin mystery of Thanksgiving '06 has been solved.  In any event,  I foresee a rousing success with these tonight.

**Strikkelise commented yesterday to say that this similar to her own recipe.  She should know.  She's living it up in Norway right this minute.  I asked her to follow up with some specifics:

"Icing is rather uncommon in Norway, we hardly use it except for on cupcakes and sometimes on yeast baking like filled buns. Icing usually means one eggwhite stirred with as much powdered sugar as it can take and then a few drops of lemon. And some cocoa or food colouring if it's for children's cupcakes...

We usually make cream spongecakes/layer cakes (bløtkake = 'softcake'), or chocolate spongecakes with chocolate (butter) cream on them for birthdays etc. The cream spongecakes may come with a layer of marzipan on top.  Apple cakes (there are several kinds) don't have icing but some come with whipped cream or icecream on the side.  If I were to make your apple cake(I think I have almost the same recipe), I would consider serving the cake warm with some whipped cream on the side. And if you like it, you could sprinkle some chopped almonds and/or some raisins on top of the cake before baking."

Thanks, M!