Cranapple Walnut Cake
Back by popular demand from the original-original Moosewood Cookbook, this recipe now appears, adapted slightly, in The Heart of the Plate.
• You will likely want to serve this a la mode with some excellent vanilla ice cream. I wouldn’t blame you. And if you anticipate this need, be sure to have the ice cream on hand before you begin, so you won’t find yourself running to the store at the last minute to get some.
•The cake is quite sweet as is. If you are going to serve it with the ice cream, you might want to reduce the sugar a notch or two - maybe to 1 ½ cups. Experiment with this (my guess is you’ll be making it a lot).
•If you buy extra fresh whole cranberries in season and freeze some, you can enjoy them year-round. No defrosting necessary.
About 8 servings
From The Heart of the Plate: Vegetarian Recipes for a New Generation
Nonstick spray
1 ¾ cups (packed) light brown sugar
½ cup grapeseed or canola oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (also called “white whole wheat”) (could also be unbleached all-purpose)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
2 medium apples (about ½ pound) – peeled and thinly sliced
½ cup chopped walnuts (chopped to the size of peanuts)
½ pound fresh (or frozen) whole cranberries
1) Lightly spray a 9 X 13-inch pan with nonstick spray. Heat the oven to 375°F.
2) In a medium-large bowl, beat together the sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
3) In a second bowl, combine the flour with the other dry ingredients until thoroughly blended. Add the dry mixture to the wet, stirring until combined, folding in the fruit and nuts as you go. The batter will be very thick.
4) Patiently spread the batter into the prepared pan (take your time spreading it in place) and bake in the center of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, and the top surface is springy to the touch.
