Cakes have a long and ancient history. The very first cakes were quite different than what we would eat today – more bread like and sweetened with honey. Nuts and dried fruits were often added. The ancient Egyptians were the first culture to show evidence of advanced baking skills. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the English word “cake” dates back to the 13th century and is a derivation of ‘kaka”, an old Norse word.
According to the food historians, the precursors of modern round cakes (complete with icing) were first baked in Europe in the mid-17th century and was made possible by advances in technology which included more reliable ovens and ingredient availability. It was during this time that cake hoops (round molds for shaping cakes) became popular.
The first icings were usually a boiled composition of the finest available sugar, egg whites and flavorings. This was poured on the cake and the cake returned to the oven. When removed from the oven, the icing quickly cooled and formed a hard, glossy (ice-like) coating. It was not until the middle of the 19th century that cake, as we know it today, became popular.
Being of German descent, we eat quite a bit of authentic German food around here. I’m not quite certain this is an “authentic” German recipe but it is certainly delicious. And easy. The most difficult part is peeling the apples!
German Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
- 3 Eggs
- 2 cups Sugar
- 1 cup Vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 cups All Purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 4 cups tart Apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- 3/4 cup chopped Pecans
Icing:
- 1 – 8 ounce package Cream Cheese, softened
- 2 teaspoons Butter, softened
- 2 cups Confectioners sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and add to egg mixture. Mix well. Fold in apples and nuts and pour into a greased 13×9 baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely.
In small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together. Add confectioners sugar, beating until smooth. Spread over cake.
Refrigerate any leftovers.
Savor! West Virginia 