Every year about this time, Mimi and Granddaddy traipse up through Georgia’s mountains to find some of the Peach State’s greatest fruits–apples! Each autumn, the Peach State yields bushels and bushels of apples and my grandparents seem to always bring many of those bushels back to our now empty peach country.
“Whatever will we do with all these apples? “ Mimi always inquires; yet
her queries are always quelled once she gets to cooking and baking
with the bounty from their mountain travels.
First comes Gingergold, Jonaold, and of course, Gala, with some of this Farmer’s favorites such as Pink Lady and Fuji rounding out the season. This first trip to the North Georgia Mountains brought us the former apple varieties and the apple baking season has commenced! Another trip to Highlands or even further in North Carolina will bring my grand people back with more apples and I know that we’ll be apple-rich for the season. We have already had pies, some applesauce and, with much fanfare and glee, Mimi’s Apple Cake.
Now Mimi’s Apple Pie is divine, case closed and court dismissed. BUT, Mimi’s Apple Cake just might take the cake for that matter as one of this Farmer’s favorite desserts of all time. One thing so enticing about this delicacy is that it is easy baking at its easiest, yet so elegant in presentation and palette. This cake will make you appear to be a
baker’s baker even if this is your first cake. Plus, this recipe allows Mimi and me to open up one of our favorite cookbooks, her hometown of Bainbridge’s very own Recipes of the First United Methodist Church.
“What I love most about this cookbook is that I can read the recipes from women I’ve known and loved for all my life–this cookbook is as if I’m back in Bainbridge as a young girl eating from many of the tables graced by these recipes.”
Mimi.
If you don’t have a small town, Southern church cookbook, then you are missing out. These genres of Southern literature are a post in and of themselves. Much of my culinary inspiration comes from these classics and I highly recommend you finding your favorites from your grandmother’s caches, mama’s library, or from antique malls and used book stores. Trust me, they are worth their weight in butter!
Mimi’s Apple Cake is so delicious and enjoyable for several reasons I feel. One, the toasted pecans in the cake and serving as garnish gives me that sweet and salty complement I
crave. Secondly, the simplicity of the cake itself is so appealing. The ingredients are not complicated and are readily on hand.
Furthermore, this cake is the gift that keeps giving, more so, a gift you can keep on giving; for you can easily make two, sharing one with friends and keeping one for your family. Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any holiday for that matter, this cake is a perfect gift or contribution to your supper club, dinner party, church dinner on the grounds, or host/hostess gift.
With fresh apples abounding from August to December, this cake is sure to be a hit this fall. From this Farmer’s Mimi and to your table, I hope this cake becomes the apple of
your eye.
Mimi’s Apple Cake
3 Eggs
2 cups of sugar (this can be cut down by a third cup if need be)
1 ½ cup of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 pinch of salt
3 cups of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of good vanilla
3 cups, about 3 average size apples, of chopped raw apples
1 cup of toasted and chopped pecans
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, add the sugar and oil, and then add dry ingredients, apples, and nuts. Pour into a greased bunt pan or tube pan. Bake at 335°F for 1/ ½hours.
Garnish with freshly whipped cream and roasted pecans, buttered and salted.
James T. Farmer III was born and raised in Georgia, where he continues to live and work as a landscape designer. He shares his love of food, flowers and photography on his blog All Things Farmer. His book "A Time to Plant" is now available.