March 11, 2015

Johnny Appleseed Cake

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Johnny Appleseed Cake

Johnny Appleseed Cake

March 11: Johnny Appleseed Day

In elementary school, we enjoyed “movie mornings” when we learned about legendary people of the American frontier like Johnny Appleseed. Formally known as John Chapman (September 26, 1774-March 18, 1845), he was an eccentrically-dressed man who was famous for planting apple trees and establishing orchards across the Midwest. While planting apple seeds, the New Church missionary was also planting seeds of his faith by living simply, touting the health benefits of his fruits, caring for animals and showing kindness wherever he traveled. Johnny Appleseed is also associated with this hymn:

“Oh, the Lord is good to me,

and so I thank the Lord for giving me the things I need,

the sun and the rain and the appleseed.

The Lord is good to me.

Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen.”

There are many tales about Johnny Appleseed as there are variations of the Johnny Appleseed cake. Some recipes are made from scratch using fresh-diced apples, while others use shortcut ingredients like canned apple pie filling or jarred applesauce. We chose the easiest one because 1) a child can participate in making this delightful dessert during a teachable moment and 2) we had a coupon for “buy a cake mix and get a can of pie filling for free”.

Celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day and bake an easy Johnny Appleseed Cake.

Recipe

(Adapted from Mr. Food)

Ingredients

  • 1 box yellow cake mix (may use sugar-free)
  • 1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling (may use sugar-free)
  • 4 eggs (may use egg substitute)

Directions

Mist a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, apple pie filling and eggs. Mix until smooth.

Johnny Appleseed Cake

Pour the batter into the prepared ban. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, testing with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Slice into squares and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon (optional) or enjoy plain with a cup of tea or coffee.

Johnny Appleseed Cake

Notes

 

October 1, 2013

Apple Butter Muffins

Posted by HI Cookery under 10 October | Tags: , , , , |
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Apple Butter Muffins

Apple Butter Muffins

October: National Apple Month

Our friends Pat and Phyllis S., who, like Islander, are Hawaii ex-patriates now living in South Texas, brought back some apple butter from Branson, Missouri, when they went on a road trip there.  Apple butter reminds us of applesauce but it is sweeter, spiced and slightly thicker with a warm caramel color.

Like our applesauce cupcakes, these apple butter muffins are a yummy quick breakfast or snack. Whenever we bake them, we are reminded of the fun times we have with our friends, especially of our own road trip with them through the Texas Hill Country where we stopped to eat lunch at an apple-themed restaurant in Medina, the Apple Capital of Texas.

Bake a batch of apple butter muffins during National Apple Month to share with good friends and warm your hearts throughout the autumn season.

Recipe

(Adapted from Recipe Girl)

For the muffins

  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ sticks (¾ cup) butter, unsalted, melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup apple butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the topping

  • 1 tablespoon sugar, granulated white
  • generous pinch of ground allspice

Directions

In a bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Melt the butter and cool slightly.

Apple Butter Muffins

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the apple butter. Stir in the melted butter. Mix in the vanilla.

Apple Butter Muffins

Pour in the flour mixture and blend until moistened. Use a large scoop to put the batter in cupcake papers or a greased muffin tin.

Apple Butter Muffins

Make the topping by combining the sugar with the pinch of allspice. Sprinkle on top of the muffins. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm. Yield: 12-15 apple butter muffins.

Apple Butter Muffins

Notes

  • Thanks to Pat and Phyllis S. for the apple butter.
  • Search our blog for more recipes containing apples as an ingredient.
 

October 12, 2012

Wilfra Apple Cake

Posted by HI Cookery under 10 October | Tags: , , , , , |
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Wilfra Apple Cake

Wilfra Apple Cake

October 12: Feast Day of St. Wilfrid

If a certain dessert is “American as apple pie,” then this similar sweet is as British as Wilfra apple cake. This recipe is associated with St. Wilfred, a seventh century bishop who established several churches and monasteries, oversaw a large diocese and preached to the pagans in England.

English culture and cuisine influenced the colonists of early America. Wilfra apple cake is probably a precursor to apple pasty/pastie and pie. The unique ingredient, however, is the shredded cheddar cheese which, when melted, binds the apple filling together.

For a different yet delicious dessert that is a cross between a cake and a pie, try Wilfra apple cake on the Feast Day of St. Wilfrid.

Recipe

(Adapted from Cooking With the Saints by Ernst Scheugraf)

For the pastry dough

  • 3 cups flour
  • ¾ cup butter, softened
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 5 tablespoons water, cold

For the filling

  • 1 ½ pound cooking apples (we used Granny Smith variety)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
  • milk
  • sugar

Directions

Cut the butter into small pieces. In a large bowl, rub the butter into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs. Add the salt, sugar and lemon juice. Pour in the cold water and mix into a smooth dough. Divide in half. Roll each out to ¼ inch thick.

Wilfra Apple Cake

Lay one of the pastry pieces on the bottom of a well greased square (10 x 10 inch) or rectangle (8 x 12 inch) pan. Reserve the other pastry piece to put on top of the filling.

Wilfra Apple Cake

Peel the apples and slice them thinly. Put them in a bowl and sprinkle lemon juice to prevent browning. Mix in the brown sugar.

Wilfra Apple Cake

Add the cheddar cheese. Spread the apple mixture on top of the bottom pastry layer. Cover with the other pastry layer. Cut out shapes from the extra pastry dough to decorate the edges (optional).

Wilfra Apple Cake

Brush the top layer with a little milk. Finish off the edges (optional) with any cut-out pastry dough shapes. Sprinkle with sugar.

Wilfra Apple Cake

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely to allow the juices from the apples to set with the cheese. Slice into squares and serve.

 Wilfra Apple Cake

Notes

  • If “apples are of your eyes,” then try the recipe for apple pie on National Apple Pie Day on December 3. Search our blog for other recipes containing apples as an ingredient.
  • Leftover pastry dough can be used to make delicious “dokeyanas” (pets de souers). They are sweet, swirled cinnamon rolls that we blogged about on National Pastry Day on December 9.