Over the years, I have compiled a large number of recipe cards, enough to fill four or five long card files like the kind you used to see in libraries. My primary source of recipe inspiration these days is via internet searches, but there are times when it is fun to review the old tried and true favorites. Mixed in with the recipes I used, there were others that “sounded good,” but I have never tried, and then, one more category: those recipes I tried but found only mediocre–not inspiring but still not quite worth tossing.
One of those was actually a $25,000 Pillsbury Bake-off winner in the cookie/dessert category. The judges may have liked it, but our family was not impressed. My note when I first tried it on a hot Arizona day was, “Ok but no better made w/ plums 7/4/79.”
It was not surprising that I had substituted plums for the apples. They would have been much more available–and better–at the time.. That “ok” assessment was faint praise, but I kept the recipe in my files with the hope of finding a way to improve upon it. After all, it had won a large prize in the Bake-off, so surely it must have some merit, right?
Now, pulling out the old card, I considered how to improve upon the basic recipe. I had plenty of yogurt in the refrigerator and some local orchard apples still in the fruit cellar, and there was a half empty jar of homemade jam that might be just what was needed to add a little more flavor.
The result was a nice fruity dessert that, except for dicing the apples,was quick and easy to make, with slightly reduced sugar and fat from the usual cake of this size. The texture is more like a rich bar cookie than cake, thanks to the ground nuts, so this is a good place to use whole wheat flour for just a little more nod to “healthy” ingredients.
By the way, if you want to see the original recipe, you can find it here:
Apple Cake with Raspberry Glaze
2 c flour (may use part or all whole wheat flour)
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/3 c butter
1/4 c canola or other neutral oil
1 c finely chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans (see NOTE)
2 t cinnamon
1 t soda
1 c yogurt
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 egg
2 c apples, cored and finely diced (not peeled–about 2 medium)
1/2 c raspberry jam
1 t lemon juice
1 to 2 T water
1. Blend the flour, sugar, butter, oil, and nuts with a fork (or in a mixer) until evenly mixed. Pat 2 1/2 cups of this mixture into a 9 X 12 pan, pressing firmly. Set aside.
2. Combine the remaining crumbs with the cinnamon and soda and stir well. Make a well in the center of the mixture.
3. Combine the yogurt, egg, and vanilla and add to the crumb mixture. Stir until thoroughly blended. Fold in the apples and then pour the filling over the prepared crust.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, until the center is just set.
5. Meanwhile, combine the jam and lemon juice along with just enough water to make the mixture spreadable.
6. As soon as the bars come out of the oven, spread the jam evenly over the top. (If desired, you can also poke the jam mixture into the cake with a skewer or sharp knife blade.)
Allow to cool completely before cutting.
NOTE: If ground nuts are available, I highly recommend them, both for the convenience and the slightly smoother texture in this recipe. However, you can finely chop nuts yourself if the ground nuts are not available. I also prefer almonds to blend with the other flavors, but other nuts can easily be substituted.
Variations:
This is the kind of recipe that can be tailored to fruits of the season. Other combinations of fruit and jams can be substituted–chopped plums would be very good with orange marmalade, chopped peaches or nectarines with peach jam, etc. For the latter, I would add half a teaspoon of almond extract with the vanilla.
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