My apple cake with the gravy, because it is very heavy with apples is not good as a layer cake, doesn't cut well and with 4 cups of apples, it's heavy!. But it is spectacular as a 9 by 12 cake....with gravy on each square....passed warm in a pitcher....with maybe a small scoop of vanilla ice cream....and the "gravy" over the top. You can probably cut 16 pieces out of one cake....but....it's also very good for breakfast!! I have used this one for a layered birthday cake....with a caramel frosting...or maybe a burnt sugar....I forget. I cut back a little on the nutmeg....I think 1 tsp is a bit much and for a layer cake, that recipe makes 2 8 inch layers. And I always use my own applesauce. When I am making applesauce, I reserve a cup and make this cake. Cake, Applesauce, mine 1 egg beaten 1/2 cup shortening�I use butter 1 cup of sugar 1 cup cold unsweetened applesauce 1 3/4 cups AP flour 1 tsp soda 3/4 tsps salt 1 tsp nutmeg 1 1/2 tsps cinnamon 1/4 tsp powdered cloves 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup raisins and nuts cut up�optional Sift together, flour soda, salt and spices Cream shortening, beat in sugar, beat in the egg and the applesauce and vanilla�.add the flour etc and pour into a greased 8 � by 11 pan and bake at 350 for 45 to 60 minutes�.until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

I am now obsessing about apple cake. Let's see, 4 large eggs with shells weigh 8 ounces. 8 ounces of butter is two sticks, 8 oz of sugar is about a cup and 1/8 in volume. And 8 oz of flour is about 1 and 3/4 cups in volume - is that about right?

LindaC, you know how fudge gets when it "goes to sugar"? That's kind of how this turned out, and the topping is actually cooked, I thought that would dissolve it sufficiently, but I was mistaken. I'm afraid a longer cooking might just make it worse, and the directions specifically said boil for a minute without stirring, although I thought the small amount might scorch. It didn't, but it didn't dissolve either. Sally, this one is very good, nice and moist, Elery says it's more like quick bread in texture. It didn't really need glaze, although I am seriously considering a maple glaze next time. Wintercat, the texture is very nice, I'd make it again. Islay, break out the apples, this is a good recipe! CC, I mis-stated the name of the magazine, it's actually "Taste of the South". I can't find it on line either, so I'll just type it out, that way I can keep it too! Candied Apple-Pear Bundt Cake 3 cups sugar, divided 1/2 cup cane syrup 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbls butter, softened and divided 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced 2 Bosc pears, peeled and sliced 5 large eggs 3 cups all purpose flour 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 cup sour cream 2 tsps. vanilla extract Preheat oven to 325F. Spray a 15 cup bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Set aside. In a large skillet, bring 1 cup sugar and cane syrup to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves, approximately 2 minutes. Stir in 2 tbls butter until melted. Add apple and pear, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to medium, cook, stirring occasionally, until fruit softens, approximately 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. In a large bowl, beat remaining 1 1/2 cups butter with remaining 2 cups sugar at medium speed with a mixer until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of the bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat in vanilla until combined. Reserve 2/3 cup syrup from fruit mixture for Cane Syrup Glaze; set aside. Gently fold remaining syrup and fruit mixture into batter and spoon into prepared pan. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. Drizzle with Cane Syrup Glaze. Cane Syrup Glaze In a small bowl, stir together 2/3 cup reserved syrup, 2 cups confectioners sugar and 2 tbls whole buttermilk until smooth. Spoon over cake. Cindy, thanks for that very kind offer, but I'm going to Grand Rapids tomorrow and Wednesday, Bud is getting his tonsils taken out and a deviated septum fixed. He's got a neurologist appointment tomorrow. So, I'm kind of assuming they'll have some at Cost Plus/World Market, or one of the specialty groceries they have down there. If not, I'll try the internet. If it's legal, I think Amazon will have it, LOL. I'm definitely making this cake at some time, though, so I'm going to have to get my hands on some before apple season is over.... Annie

Aw, Kate, that looks like a winner! I just used all my apples for applesauce, but I'm bookmarking this one for fall. You said that maybe it needed a touch more spice, cinnamon to the browned butter? Went ahead and googled the recipe and one blogger said she was going to serve it with cinnamon ice cream. Yep, I think that would work, don't you? :) CathyinSWPA