Irish Apple Cake

 

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"We Band of Angels: The Untold Story of the American Women Trapped on Bataan"
In the fall of 1941, the Philippines was a gardenia-scented paradise for the American Army and Navy nurses stationed there. War was a distant rumor, life a routine of easy shifts and dinners under the stars. On December 8 all that changed, as Japanese bombs began raining down on American bases in Luzon, and this paradise became a fiery hell. Caught in the raging battle, the nurses set up field hospitals in the jungles of Bataan and the tunnels of Corregidor, where they tended to the most devastating injuries of war, and suffered the terrors of shells and shrapnel. But the worst was yet to come.

After Bataan and Corregidor fell, the nurses were herded into internment camps where they would endure three years of fear, brutality, and starvation. Once liberated, they returned to an America that at first celebrated them, but later refused to honor their leaders with the medals they clearly deserved. Here, in letters, diaries, and riveting firsthand accounts, is the story of what really happened during those dark days, woven together in a deeply affecting saga of women in war.

Irish Apple Cake 

Irish Apple Cake is a traditional dessert made in Ireland. Recipes for the moist and tender cast iron cake are as varied as the people who live on the Emerald Isle.
Originally, Irish apple cakes were steamed in pots beside an open fire. And largely made from crab apples, of which are in abundant supply in Ireland. It’s a better conductor of heat, giving the edges a crispy texture. Apples, especially crab apples, play a significant role in Irish and Celtic mythology. The legendary Avalon, the location where King Arthur was taken to recover from his wounds after fighting Mordred at the Battle of Camlann, is considered a sacred Isle of the apple trees.
Since not all cooks have a cast iron cake pan, this recipe was adapted using a standard 9 inch cake pan which are readily available. This cake has a light texture with all the same great flavors of an original Irish cake with an added yummy  streusel topping. The cake goes well with your favorite cup of coffee or tea.
Recipe adapted from Food Network March 2021

Struesel Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons cold salted butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Cake Ingredients: 

• 1 stick salted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon or 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray with PAM a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt. Next, rub in the cold butter until fully incorporated and you’ve reached the texture of coarse breadcrumbs or pulse briefly using a food processor. Set aside in the fridge while you make the cake.
• Make the cake: Cream the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, then beat in the eggs one at a time. 
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula along with the milk. Once the batter has formed, transfer it to the prepared pan and lay on top of batter the sliced apples, making sure they are arranged in one even layer. Cover the apples with all the streusel topping.
• Bake the cake until the top is golden brown and crisp, about 26- 28 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before turning out of the pan onto a rack.