German Apple Cake

Alan in SW Florida's Note:

Chock-full of grated apples and chopped walnuts, this is a wonderfully dense and moist cake.It is especially delicious at the height of apple season, however, it is so tasty that I'm sure that you'll want to make it year round.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil or ½ cup canola oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 large apples , cored, peeled, and grated (such as Fuji or Granny Smith, medium grate, about 4 cups)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients

• 2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese , softened (or 3 quarters of an 8-ounce package)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter , softened
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-x13-inch baking pan or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Beat eggs and oil in a large mixing bowl until pale yellow and creamy; then add sugar, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Stir until well blended; then add the grated apples that have been drained of any juice that accumulated during grating. Mix well and add chopped walnuts.
3. Pour dough into the prepared baking pan and cook 35 to 45 minutes, or until cake shrinks from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool cake on a wire rack. When COMPLETELY cool, ice cake with Cream Cheese Icing; cut into slices and enjoy!
4. DIRECTIONS for CREAM CHEESE ICING: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with a wire whisk or electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, until it is is incorporated and icing is smooth.