Today is my birthday! Somehow, apples and apple festivals have become a tradition for my birthday. Mostly, these consist of pretend apple festivals, since we do not live further north where apples grow. An apple festival + a birthday calls for an apple cake. Here is a lovely apple cake that comes from my great grandmother’s friend Frances Sears. Well, it is lovely in that it is delicious. I have yet to see a truly pretty apple cake that also tasted good.

I skip the nuts these days, but have used pecans in it. The frosting is really a nice change of pace, a sort of brown sugar boiled frosting.  I also tend to bake it at 350 for about an hour and 15 minutes or until done. Use orange pippin apples if you can get your hands on them. Otherwise a granny smith, Jonagold, Winesap or whatever good cooking apple is available in your area.

Fresh Apple Cake

2 c sugar
1 1/2 cups Wesson  oil
4 eggs
3 c flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix sugar and Wesson oil, add eggs, one at a time. Sift together and add flour, salt, soda, and baking powder. Fold into mixture 3 cups peeled and diced apples and 1 cup chopped nuts. Add vanilla. Bake in tube pan at 300 degrees F. for 2 hours.

Frosting

1 cup light brown sugar
1 stick oleo
1/4 c. evaporated milk

Cook until thick, beat and spread over cake.