Apple Pound Cake

We're going to a neighborhood dinner party this evening (I love our neighborhood). 

My contribution is dessert, and I'm baking an Apple Pound Cake which is smelling pretty good right now.

But, when I got ready to start baking a little earlier I realized I didn't have enough all-purpose flour, so I went on-line to see what the acceptable equivalent might be.  In place of one cup all-purpose flour, I could use one cup plus two tablespoons of cake flour.  Whew!  Saved me a drive into town to the grocery store.

This is one of my favorite "go to" recipes, one I've been baking for years.  It's from one of my favorite cook-books - an oldie but goodie. 

SOMETHIN'S COOKIN' IN THE MOUNTAINS, A Cookbook Guidebook to Northeast Georgia

It's one Donald and I picked up on one of our trips to the North Georgia mountains while we were still living in Atlanta. 

The executive editors were Cathy and Jay Bucek who owned a wonderful little spot called "Mark of the Potter."  It's a delightful cookbook, and so much more.  It's a terrific guidebook to the N. Georgia mountains and contains several hand drawn maps along with drawings of landmarks and places of interest, like this one of the upside-down bridge. The Mark of the Potter is still there and still lovely, but sadly, Jay is no longer with us. 

The recipes were submitted by local restaurants, businesses and local folk.  Every one I've tried has been a winner.

Here's the Apple Pound Cake recipe from Bruce Mitchell of Nacoochee Mound, a large Indian mound in White County.  Although I no longer follow this recipe as written, I'm including it as Bruce wrote it with notations relating to my changes.  You, of course, should either follow it to the letter, or not.

Apple Pound Cake

 

 

Ingredients:

 

2 cups of sugar

1 1/2 cups of cooking oil

3 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cup coconut (I do not use the coconut)

3 cups tart apples, peeled, cored, and diced (I do not peel the apples)

1 cup pecans, chopped (I usually do not use the pecans)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the sugar and oil.  Beat with an electric mixer until well blended.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat until fluffy.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add to the sugar mixture and blend well.  Beat in the vanilla and coconut.  Fold in the apples and nuts.  Pour into a greased 9-inch tube pan (I usually use a Bundt pan).  Bake for 80 minutes, or until the cake tests done (may not take 80 minutes).  Turn onto a wire rack to cool.  (this recipe does not call for leaving the cake in the pan to cool before turning it out, but I do that.  For about 15 minutes.)

 

And - - 

 

ta da!

 

Here's a picture of the finished product!

 

I'll let you know how it tastes after tonight's dinner party!