Shelly's Recipe

Apple Cake I

Category: Cakes

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups unpeeled, cored, chopped apples
2 tsp grated orange or lemon zest, optional

Heat the oven to 350. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl; set aside.

Beat the sugar and butter with a mixer on medium speed (or use a wooden spoon) until creamy; add the egg. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Add 1/4 cup of the dry ingredients to the mixture, beating until just mixed. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients. Stir in the apples and zest, if using. (The batter will be thick) Spread the batter in a buttered 9-inch square pan; bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

yield: 1 9-inch-square cake