Growing up with a Jewish Dad and Christian Mom you learn to appreciate the traditions that each religion has to offer, because with traditions comes, you guessed it, food!
Last Wednesday was Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, where traditionally you crunch on apples dipped in honey to symbolize a sweet new year. A little salted caramel would make it a little sweeter if you ask me, but I digress… Every year my mom makes the most gorgeous apple cake: swirled with chunks of juicy apple, moist with cream cheese, and crowned with cinnamon sugar, so naturally I felt inclined to carry on the tradition in college.
My best friend Jade and I have been trying to get together for a few months now, and this weekend I was finally free to visit her. I think you guys might know where I’m going with this…Can you think of a better hostess gift than a beautiful homemade apple cake??
No, neither can I. Not only is it insanely moist and flavorful, but it’s also the easiest cake ever. Just a few stirs and you’re on your way to the best smelling house you’ve ever walked in to. Shall we? Ok:
Blend together the cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla for a few minutes until very well combined. For all my college students on a budget out there, you can get a hand mixer for just $20! Heres the link.
One organic free range cage free egg (a girl can dream) at a time, blend into the cream cheese mixture. It should look like the beginning of a cheesecake. But oh, it gets so much better.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix into the batter.
Smother and toss your apples in cinnamon sugar, and then fold into the batter.
Look at this gorgeous batter, studded with apple chunks and flecked with cinnamon….Can it get any better?
YES of course it can! Take a little more of that cinnamon sugar mix and sprinkle it over the top of the cake. Pop it in the oven for and hour and 15 *the most painful hour I’ve experienced* and prepared to be amazed.
Soon, your house will be perfumed with the most fall combination of tart apples, butter, and toasty cinnamon sugar. After that long wait you’re rewarded with this:
Tender, sweet, and decadent….So, I double wrapped the cake in foil, and trekked down to Richmond for the weekend.
On Friday Jade took me to art galleries with trinket shops, Proper Pie Co. for a perfect slice of strawberry rhubarb pie, and after a quick shower we went out with her friends!
The bottom photo is Presley, Corey (gorgeous isn’t he?), Jade, and me.
The next day we went to the Richmond Farmer’s Market, which blows the Harrisonburg one out of the water. There’s over 50 vendors brimming with fresh fruit, flowers, and pottery.
We waltzed on over to the Sidewalk Cafe for mimosas, and then took a quick walk around the Jefferson to admire the famous hotel.
Richmond is incredible to visit for the weekend, it’s a city brimming with culture, amazing restaurants, and some of the best people watching I’ve seen.
Thank you Jadie for such a good weekend!
Apple Cake recipe from here. PLEASE don’t get put off by the fact that it’s from Cooking Light, it’s anything but light tasting I swear.