My Grandma Lorraine is one of my favorite people. She’s sweet and tough, beautiful on the inside and out. She has a great sense of humor- unless she thinks the joke is at her expense. In which case she will threaten to knock you into next week.
No joke. Do not underestimate this woman.
Although she prefers not to do much baking now, Grandma Lorraine had a long career in the family kitchen. Recently she gave me one of her prized recipes for this Apple Cake. This is the cake she used to bake for my dad when she still lived in New York and he was going to college in California. I am sure that package from home made him popular with his roommates- nothing makes friends faster than a little home cooking.
Before each visit, Grandma tells me in no uncertain terms that she does not want me to cook for her when I come to visit. “It’s too much trouble!” she protests. However this DOES NOT apply to baked goods. Cakes, cookies, pies, are always accepted with no complaint.
Also, before the end of each meal (which we always prepare and bring down to her 
anyway), she begins complaining that we made too much food, and that we HAVE to take some home. Again, this does not apply to desserts. Those leftovers stay! We go through this funny script every time we visit. It’s endlessly amusing to me, and make me love her even more. Like a comedy sketch from the Honeymooners- can’t you just hear her sweet New York accent now?
Grandma Lorraine’s Apple Cake recipe is easy to make, it’s always delicious, and it makes enough for plenty of leftovers. Just don’t take those home with you.
Grandma Lorraine’s Apple Cake
- 5 apples- peeled & sliced
- 5 Tsp. Cinnamon
- 5 Tbs. Sugar
Mix these three ingredients and set aside.
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
Mix these ingredients with a wooden spoon and form a well. Then into the well mix the following:
- 1 cup salad oil (her words, not mine! I use grape seed or canola)
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cups OJ
- 1 tbs vanilla
Grease the pan, then pour 1/3 batter, followed by 1/2 the apple mixture. Then alternate another 1/3 batter, the remaining apples, and the rest of the batter on top.
Make sure the apples do not touch the rim of the pan (this is impossible to do- don’t tell
Grandma, but it doesn’t seem to matter if they do touch).
Bake at 350 for about 1 hour and 20 minutes until golden brown.
YUM YUMMY IN YOUR TUMMY (Again, her words, not mind. Although I do agree!)
At this point the recipe had been typed up, but before she gave it to me she added a note in her beautiful cursive scrawl that says, “Use a pan with a hole in the middle” followed by a picture of a donut. I can almost hear her giving this direction now. If I laugh at her thick NY accent she’d threaten to knock me over the head.
I love you too, Grandma Lorraine!
