'Eargle's' Raw Apple Cake

Another curious recipe - I have no clue who "Eargle" is.

Just about to taste this, and the awesome smell is killing everyone in the room while I let it cool a few minutes.

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Okay, I am kind of in love with this cake.

Today is a snow day, so Sarah and Jack came over for an afternoon of Lost - Season 6. A few episodes into it, I wanted to make something sweet but I was out of white sugar. I tried to make kettle corn, but it turns out, you can't substitute brown sugar for white sugar in the Whirly-Pop - even if it's only a tablespoon. Yuck.

Of course, this only aggravated my sweet tooth more. I had just cleaned the kitchen and really didn't want to make a mess, but the Apple Cake was simple and called for only brown sugar, and I had plenty of that. Actually, I was short on a couple of other ingredients, too, so I made a half-batch, and it was freaking fantastic. I definitely want to give this another try after I restock the pantry.

I used two aging gala apples and one fresh granny smith apple, because that's what I had in the fridge. Personally, I think it would be great no matter what apples you use. Steve tried the cake the next day, when it was cold, and said he didn't care for the apple chunks in the cake. They didn't bother me, though, so I suppose it's a matter of preference. Maybe he wouldn't have minded the chunks when it was still warm from the oven.

The recipe suggests topping "with whipped cream or sauce," but it doesn't say what kind of sauce. I had no cream, but I did have a jar of caramel sauce in the back of the fridge. It was a sauce I'd made a couple of months ago that I'd all but forgotten about, but it was perfect on this cake. I spooned a dollop on top while the cake was still hot, so the caramel melted into it perfectly. I'd have added whipped cream, too, if I'd had it. Maybe next time.

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"Eargle's" Raw Apple Cake

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup cooking oil

2 eggs, beaten

2¼ cups flour

2 level tsp soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp salt

2 cups chopped nuts

4 cups chopped apples

Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs.

Sift flour, soda, connamon, and salt. Stir into egg mixture.

Add vanilla, nuts, and apples.

Pour into glass dish - 13x9 inch, lined with wax paper.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes, serve cold or warm.

Top with whipped cream or sauce if desired.

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