By Jean Gruber
Staff Writer
Hi, I’m a Nutrition and Dietetics student here at Marywood with a passion for cooking. Each month, from now on, I will share some of my favorite recipes with you.
I developed my love for cooking in middle school. I watched the food network for hours, and tried recipes I found appetizing. Fortunately, my parents let me free in the kitchen, no matter what wild ideas I had or how much of a mess I made; a 12-year old and an electric mixer is no neat combination. I remember one 4th of July I made a homemade flag cake. It took me hours to mix the batter, make the frosting, and decorate the cake. Unfortunately, my efforts resulted in a dry, tasteless brick. When my father tasted the cake he said, “Well this cake looks great.” You win some, you lose some, but this didn’t stop me from exploring the art of cooking. Today, I am able to successfully incorporate nutrition skills into my culinary creations. My approach to nutrition offers a variety of foods with a balance of nutrients, all without sacrificing taste.
With that said, the first “taste from home” I’d like to share with you is my absolute favorite fall dessert (and a staple at Thanksgiving), apple cake. My ultra easy recipe will result in a moist, fluffy cake every time (no flag cake here, I promise). Here it is:
Apple Cake
½ cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 ¾ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups ½ inch cubed apple (granny smith)
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ teaspoon cinnamon
In a small bowl mix brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon, reserve for later. Cube apple and set aside. Cream together butter, vanilla, and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs on at a time. Stir in sour cream. Stir flour, baking soda, and salt into batter (but don’t over mix). Fold in apple cubes. Pour half the batter into a greased 13 x 9 baking pan, and sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Spread remaining batter over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve at room temperature, or warm with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy! And stay tuned for more tastes from home!