Raw Apple Cake

Wonderful, moist, chewy cake. Got this recipe from a column in the local paper, and the columnist got it from an "unfamous old cookbook in a musty used book store...which had passages like 'use a lump of butter the size of an egg' and 'a wineglass full of decorating sugar' and 'store in the cold pantry.'" Letting the apples sit in the sugar for a while is a key step here, although it is not listed as being crucial. This cake is also good for breakfast. Hope you enjoy!

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 4  cups apples
• 2  cups sugar
• 3⁄4 cup  oil
• 2  eggs, lightly beaten
• 2  teaspoons vanilla
• 2  cups flour
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1  tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 1⁄2 cups  coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (see note)

• Optional frosting

• 3  ounces cream cheese
• 2  cups powdered sugar
• 4  tablespoons butter
• 1 -2  tablespoon milk
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 cup  finely chopped tioasted walnuts

Directions

1. Note: For enough nuts for the cake and to sprinkle on the cream cheese frosting, measure a generous 2 cups of nuts into a large baking pan.
2. Toast at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, checking every couple of minutes after 5 and shaking the nuts around.
3. When walnuts are cool, chop a scant 1/2 cup finely for the frosting and coarsely chop the remaining nuts for the cake.
4. If oven is not preheated from toasting nuts, preheat oven to 350.
5. Grease and flour a 9 by 13 inch cake pan.
6. Combine apples and sugar in one bowl.
7. Let sit for 20 minutes so apples get juicy.
8. This is not a crucial step, but it does add to the cake's wonderful chewy texture.
9. Combine eggs and oil and mix well.
10. Combine rest of ingredients by hand, then add the egg and oil mixture and mix well.
11. Add the apple mixture.
12. The mixture will be very thick.
13. Pour and press into the prepared pan.
14. Bake for 45 minutes.
15. Remove from oven when only moist crumbs cling to a toothpick inserted in center.
16. This is a moist cake--don't overbake.
17. Allow to cool on rack.
18. When cake is cool, frost with cream cheese frosting, and sprinkle with the finely chopped nuts.
19. To prepare frosting: Allow cream cheese and butter to soften a room temperature.
20. Beat with a mixer until well blended.
21. Slowly beat in powdered sugar until smooth.
22. Add vanilla and mix well.
23. Adjust to spreadable consistency with milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
24. The cake stands well on its own; however a sifting of powdered sugar looks nice if you don't care for naked cake.
25. Unfrosted cake is good with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
26. If not frosted with cream cheese frosting, which requires refrigeration, cake keeps well at room temperature for a weekend.