I kissed my son goodnight with a tinge of sadness. He turned a year older today, and in another blink of an eye, I said goodbye to one more piece of his childhood. Seven years, and it flew by so fast. Too fast. Seven years of getting to know this little man, understanding his little heart of gold. I have found a sensitive soul, a thoughtful boy who surprises me with notes that read, “Hop you fell bettr” minutes after I tell him I woke up not feeling too well. A philosophical boy who compares Santa to angels. A compassionate child who thinks of my mom and says, If I could meet your mom, I would love her the same amount as you. Because I imagine she’s the same kind of niceness.
Well, my dear boy, I know she would love you, too.
The kids have been asking lots of questions lately about her. They yearn to know her better, to understand how she battled cancer, and who took care of us children. I told them how she loved to dance and joke around, how she was silly, and pretty cool to hang out with. I see a lot of my children in her. He has her heart of gold, she has her spirit and spunk. It seemed like a good time to make Apple Walnut Delight Cake again.
I’ve made it for you before, but I thought I would dig it from the archives. It’s always good, and even better when shared with friends. We packaged some up and walked some down the street, to our neighbors. I know she would have done the same.
Apple Walnut Delight Cake
Yield: Serves 8.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
If you have any allergies or aversions to nuts, by all means, omit the walnut, as I have here. The cake is just as wonderful without them.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar (I like to use 1 cup white granulated and 1 cup brown sugar)
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups sifted flour
1½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups chopped apples (Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, all work well. Combine varieties if you wish!)
1 cup walnuts (omit if desired, and increase apple quantity to 4 cups)Directions:
Preheat oven to 325° F. Butter and flour a 10 inch fluted cake pan or tube pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.
Sift flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; add gradually to sugar, butter and egg mixture until incorporated. Do not over mix.
Stir in apples, and walnuts.
Spoon into prepared cake pan. Bake at 325° for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Frost with glaze.
Glaze
Combine 1 cup of confectioners sugar with 1 Tbsp of lemon juice and 2 Tbsp milk.
This recipe for Apple Walnut Delight first appeared here on January 26, 2011.