Paula Deen's Apple Cake

Granny Smith apples are not a favorite in this house, but my 18 year old son was at the grocery store with me and asked me to buy a bag.  I questioned his apple selection, but he insisted he loved the tart apples and, not wanting to squelch his desire for such a healthy snack, I put the bag in my cart.  He ate one apple that afternoon and the rest sat in the fruit bowl for the next 2 weeks.  So much for his love of Granny Smith aplles (I just knew he wasn't going to eat them!!).  Anyway, what's a mom to do with fruit nobody wants to eat - bake something!!  Enter this Paula Deen recipe called Grandgirl's Fresh Apple Cake from Georgia.  Strange recipe name, but the cake is pretty yummy and it stays moist for days and days.  It's very dense and heavy, and it'll feed an army so I plan to share it at an upcoming brunch.

Items used in this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 10-inch angel food cake pan with removable bottom https://amzn.to/3fWHoyd

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3ADnphF

• cooling rack https://amzn.to/3DWxslj

• serrated knife https://amzn.to/3h8H7Ms

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Paula Deen's Fresh Apple Cake

serves 16-20

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

cake:

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• 3 eggs

• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• 3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples

• 1 cup shredded coconut

• 1 cup chopped pecans

Sauce:

• 8 tablespoons butter

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup buttermilk

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Spray a 10-inch angel food cake pan with flour/oil cooking spray.

2. In a large bow, combine all the ingredients except for the apples, coconut, and pecans.

3. Stir in the apples, coconut, and pecans.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 90 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and using a long skewer, poke holes all over the cake (cake should still be in the pan).

6. Shortly before the cake is finished baking, make the sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a large saucepan (mixture will bubble up).

7. Bring mixture to a boil; stirring constantly, boil for 1 minute.

8. Pour sauce all over the hot cake and let it stand for 1 full hour before unmolding the cake to cool completely.

adapted from Paula Deen

Lemon Cupcakes with French Vanilla Buttercream

Has Spring sprung in your neighborhood?  It certainly has here.  We have beautiful blooms everywhere and the bright sunshine reminds me that I need to share these cheerfully scrumptious lemon cupcakes with you.  Be careful though... they're addictive.  Happy Spring!!!

Lemon Cupcakes with French Vanilla Buttercream

makes 24 cupcakes using a #20 scoop (recipe may be halved)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour (see substitution below)

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk (see substitution below)

• 4 large egg whites (reserve yolks for French Vanilla Buttercream below)

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon pure lemon oil (see notes below)

Directions (no need to preheat oven at this point - the cupcake batter needs to rest for 20 minutes before baking so turn the oven on after you finish mixing the batter)

1. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg whites, vanilla extract, and lemon oil; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes.

4. Turn off the mixer and add 1/3 of the flour mixture; mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

5. Add 1/2 of the wet ingredients; mix just until incorporated.

6. Repeat process with 1/3 of the dry, remaining half of the wet, and remaining third of the dry ingredients, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl.

7. Set mixture aside to rest for 20 minutes.

8. Preheat oven to 350F.

9. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

10. Fill each liner with a level scoop of batter using a #20 scoop.

11. Bake for 15 minutes, cool completely.

12. Pipe with French Vanilla Buttercream (recipe below)

Notes

• To substitute 1 cup of cake flour - combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch and enough all-purpose flour to equal 1 cup (bleached all-purpose flour is preferred)

• To substitute 1 cup of buttermilk - combine 1 tablespoon vinegar and enough milk to equal 1 cup

• Be sure to use culinary grade lemon oil. To substitute 1 teaspoon culinary grade lemon oil - use 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract plus the zest of 2 lemons

French Vanilla Buttercream

makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 75 grams egg yolks (about 4 egg yolks)

• 100 grams sugar (1/2 cup)

• 110 grams light corn syrup (about 2 2/3 tablespoons)

• 300 grams unsalted butter, softened (about 2/3 pound)

• 4 grams pure vanilla extract (about 1 teaspoon)

Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks until light yellow in color; turn off the mixer until you're ready to add the hot sugar syrup.

2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the sugar and corn syrup together, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a full rolling boil.

3. Immediately pour a small amount of the hot syrup into the beaten egg yolks and turn the mixer on right away for a few seconds; turn off and scrape the inside of the bowl with a spatula.

4. Repeat the process using 1/2 of the remaining sugar syrup; mix again for several seconds, turn off, and scrape bowl.

5. Add the remaining sugar syrup and turn the mixer back on, this time allowing it to continue to mix until the egg mixture is completely cool, about 5 minutes (feel the bottom of the bowl to gauge the temperature of the mixture).

6. When the egg mixture is completely cool, beat in the softened butter and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.

7. Pipe buttercream onto completely cooled cupcakes.

8. Garnish as desired and serve cupcakes at room temperature.

9. Refrigerate unused buttercream - allow to come to room temp before using (you may need to whisk the room temp buttercream to restore its creamy texture).