A Traditional Jewish Apple Cake, enriched with Cream Cheese, and infused with the Toasty, Nutty Flavor of Brown Butter. A Perfect Dessert for your Rosh Hashanah Celebration.
We laid my Grandmother to rest two weeks ago.
But don’t feel bad for me, ok? It was not a sad occasion. She told me so herself.
I will miss her, don’t get me wrong. She was a sassy lady. She was a lot of fun. She loved Frank Sinatra, and animals, coral lipstick and Toujours Moi, and mafia movies, and she always had a layer cake on the table for Sunday supper.
She lived to be 86 years old. Anyone who knows me personally, knows that some of my dearest loved ones were taken from me way too soon. But my Grandmom had a long and full life. She’d made countless lifelong friendships. She was the doting owner of many fluffy (and a few scruffy) pets. She had four children, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Her illness was just long enough for her to say her goodbyes, but not so long that she suffered too much. She felt ready. And she passed comfortably and peacefully from this world.
We celebrated her beautiful life, and the memory of her, with a lovely luncheon, where all of her loved ones gathered together. She would have loved it. Icould feel her smiling the whole time.
We all know Grandma’s have the best recipes, right? Well, this one’s not from my Grandmom. It’s from one of her best friends, who was seated across from me at the luncheon. She had no idea who she was talking to when she asked if I liked to bake. 😛
It’s one of the greatest things about being a food blogger. People want to give you their most treasured family recipes! It happens to me a lot. It makes me feel really honored. I really hope I’ve done ya proud here, Flo!
I’ve only made one minor little tweak to the recipe I was given, and that was to brown the butter. It’s just so trendy right now, I couldn’t resist! And it’s popular for good reason: the flavor is phenomenal.
I especially love that toasty flavor for fall, and it pairs so beautifully with softly cinnamon spiced apples. I’ve chosen to share this recipe today, because we are coming up on the Jewish high holidays, and it’s traditional to celebrate Rosh Hashanah (the start of the new year, according to the Hebrew calendar) by eating apples.
I just love that the cake is enriched with cream cheese! It makes the texture so creamy-dreamy…
Flo insists on Rome or Jonathan apples, specifically. Listen to your Grandma. Or your Grandma’s best friend, as it were.
And the cake is baked in a springform pan. Not a bundt! I thought that was kinda different, but you know what?
It’s fabulous.
Just gaze upon that cinnamon-sugary, craggy-crust. Heaven!
And the cake itself is so dense and moist, and just bursting with juicy apples and toasty, buttery goodness. What a delicious way to start the new year!
- For the Cake:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 6 ounces cream cheese (I used reduced fat), softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- For the Filling/Topping:
- 3 cups (about 2 1/2 medium-sized) Rome or Jonathan apples
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Toss the chopped apples in 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar, reserving the rest for topping.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet, over medium heat.
- Continue to heat the butter, watching carefully, and allowing it to sizzle/crackle, and turn a warm brown color. Immediately transfer to a small bowl, to halt the cooking process, and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Beat the cream cheese together with the browned butter, until creamy.
- Mix in the sugar and vanilla extract.
- Add the eggs, one at a time.
- Finally, mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt, until just combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, making sure all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Pour 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan, and layer the spiced apples on top. Spread the rest of the batter over the apples, and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs.
L’Shanah Tovah (Happy New Year), to Flo, my dear husband and his family, and all my Jewish readers! May your upcoming year be happy, peaceful, and full of rich blessings. <3
*This post was featured on Buns In My Oven’s What’s Cookin’ Wednesday Link Party*
**This post was featured on Will Cook for Smiles’ Show Stopper Saturday Link Party**
I’m glad you had your nana around for a long time! Mine passed away before I was born. This cake looks amazing, and I’m sure it tastes just as good!
Oh, I’m sorry, Erika! I do feel so lucky to have had her in my life for such a long time. <3
We are not Jewish, but I cannot wait to make this delicious looking and sounding cake. I love collecting old recipes. It will go perfectly with the fall weather – whenever it gets here…
You don’t have to be Jewish to love a good apple cake! My hubby is, and I am not, but we’ve both always enjoyed eating Jewish Apple Cake, especially at this time of year. This version is just different enough to be surprisingly delish! 😉
Since the recipe calls for dairy and flour, what makes this a jewish cake?
Hi Becky! I’m not sure why they call it a “Jewish” Apple Cake, but it’s just always been the name it goes by. Maybe it’s a regional thing? Not sure, but I do know you can always get a slice of it at every Jewish deli in the Philadelphia area, as well as on the dessert table of every Jewish bubbe!
I’m not aware of any Jewish dietary laws that prohibit the consumption of dairy and flour together, although I do know that the Kosher laws do not allow dairy and meat together (this cake would be considered dairy, obvs.)
There’s also the tradition of Passover, which is a week long observance of faith (usually in Spring) where leavened breads & baked goods are avoided. Many times flourless cakes and cookies, such as macaroons, are eaten at this time.
You can read more about kosher dietary laws here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher, and more about Passover here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover. Or feel free to teach me something new, I don’t claim to be any kind of expert on this type of thing!
Jewish apple cake is normally made with oil, not butter, and therefore can be served after a meat meal.
What a beautiful experience, Allie! And how luck you are to gain this treasured family recipe for your baking arsenal. Brown butter makes life so much better. I have had my eye on a few apple cakes (I just borrowed the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook from the library) and this one is going on my list!
Thanks, Amy! Isn’t it such a gift when someone offers a treasured recipe? I feel very lucky to have been given this one. I hope you get a chance to try it, and if you do, I hope you enjoy it! And I’ve got to check out that cookbook… never thought to look for it at the library! xo
Allie, this post made me cry. Beautifully written and Grandmom would have loved your version of Flo’s classic recipe. I’ll be making recipe very soon. Thank you, Allie and Flo. xoxo
Awww, thanks Mo! I’m glad you liked it! I really wanted it to honor our grandmom. I hope I did her justice, and Flo’s recipe too! <3
This is a perfect cake for fall. And I agree you have to listen to your Grandma (or Grandma’s friend in this case). I’m glad you got to celebrate your Grandmother’s life and you are doing well with the loss.
Thanks, Zainab! Nothing’s better at this time of year than brown butter, vanilla, and apples, right? Such comfort food. Thanks for the sweet comment. xo
Love it! Can’t wait to taste! Great job honey!
Thanks, dear! 😉
What a lovely cake Allie, I’m sure your Grandma was right there alongside you as you created it. It looks delicious.
She would have loved it, I’m sure! Thanks, Laura!
Your grandma sounds like she was an awesome lady 🙂
I love finding random people and having them be like “oh do you bake?” and giving you these amazing gems of recipes. Love love loove <3
She was definitely one of a kind! And yes, old, tried and true recipes are so awesome, especially when they come from friends and family. Thanks so much for the sweet comment, Kayle!
I bet this cake was amazing because it sure looked like it was. ((Hugs)) to you Allie. I’m sure your grandma would be so proud of you!
Aw, thanks for the sweet words, Liz!
This looks amazing. Browned butter, apples, and the fact that it was handed down to you from your grandma’s best friend all make me wanna make this. Yum! Pinned.
Thanks, Rachel! I know, right? Grandmas have the best recipes. This one’s definitely a winner! I hope you enjoy it, and thanks for pinning!
What a beautiful cake, Allie! I’m sure your grandma and Flo would have loved it.
And you used brown butter instead of plain one. Like, you’ve just won my heart: that stuff is heavenly, HEAVENLY I say. I first tried a couple of days ago and now I can’t stop adding it to everything. It’s so so good.
This will go to my baking bucket list… I must make it now!
Have a nice day :-*
I know, right? It’s a small detail but it really seems to enhance the flavor. So happy you enjoyed! And you have a nice day, too! <3
This is one of my favorite cakes. We’re not religious but I’m definitely a fan of anything apples-and-honey, so I like to acknowledge Rosh Hashanah through food 🙂 I am so excited to give this a try!
Same here, Nora. Not terribly religious, for us it’s all about the food, lol! And being interfaith, we get to celebrate LOTS of holidays (and eat lots of food!). I hope you enjoy the cake! Thanks for reading 😉
Such a beautiful post honoring your grandmother! What a lovely tribute.
This recipe is downright decadent! Thanks so much for sharing
Thank you, Sashi! So glad you enjoyed… Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
I remember making the Jewish Apple cake that Grand mom use to make. It had a very heavy batter and I blew out a hand held mixer I was using. It was very good but the batter was hard to mix. I will try this receipt.
Wow! Ok well this batter is not like that. It’s just normal, thick but creamy. I wonder if the one Grandmom made is the same one Aunt Barbara makes… my mom always raves about that one. Although she really enjoyed this one too! She came with us to Dave’s family’s dinner and tried the cake there. Said she really liked it, so cinnamony and moist. Thanks for reading Aunt Donna! <3
This looks delicious! You grandma was one lucky lady to have her as a best friend, especially if she brought this to the table every once in a while. The cream cheese in this is probably awesome, great pictures Allie. 🙂 Thanks for sharing at Show Stopper Saturdays!
Krista @ joyfulhealthyeats
Hi Krista! Thanks for the sweet comment, and thank you for hosting the party! 😀
Allie, this cake sounds amazing. I wish I had a slice in front of me right now!
Haha thanks, Ashley! So glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for reading and for the sweet comment! 🙂
This looks amazing! I made a honey cake for Rosh HaShanah, but I will definitely be making this soon and keeping it on hand for next year. I’m so glad I saw your link on Show Stopper Saturday.
Oh, me too, Lauren! So happy you like the recipe! I hope you and your family enjoy it next year! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Brown butter in my opinion is one of the greatest creations ever!!!! It just takes everything to the next level! Your description about your grandma is just so touching! Beautiful post and I’m soooo glad I came across your blog!
Thank you so much, Samina! I’m so pleased that you enjoyed the post, and I totally agree! Brown butter makes everything better. I’m so happy you dropped by, hope to see you again soon!
Allie, this cake looks stunning! I love love the color of the top crust!
I know, me too! That top crust was to-die-for! So cinnamony… and then the inside was super moist and appley. Definitely a winner! Thanks for reading, Anna! xoxo
What a beautiful, beautiful cake Allie! Love that it’s made with brown butter too – amazing! Pinned!
Thanks so much, Trish! Hope you are well… 🙂
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cake like this before. It looks amazing! Like apple pie mated with cake and created this child of yumminess. Thank you, Grandmom, for sharing this recipe with Allie! The legacy lives on! I’ll be sure to watch a mafia movie while eating this 😉
Ha ha, right, Dani! It is a lot like an apple pie/cake hybrid. It turned out so great, with the richness of the cream cheese and the toasty warmth of the brown butter. A great fall dessert, for sure! Thanks so much for reading! 😉
Thank you so much for the lovely recipe.
It’s my pleasure, Liz! Thank you for reading my blog and leaving such a sweet comment. I hope you enjoy the cake!
Love this cake. I’ve made a version of it before, but this sounds like it would me very moist. Thanks for sharing. Drop by my kitchen. We’re featuring Apples this Saturday at Saturday Dishes with Paula and Savannah.
Wishes for tasty dishes,
Linda @ Tumbleweed Contessa
Thanks, Linda! It is very moist, with the cream cheese, and the brown butter gives it a unique flavor. I’m so happy you enjoyed, and thank you so much for the invitation! I’ll be right over ;_
Hi again, Linda! I just wanted to mention that I was not able to find the link party you mentioned… if you send me a direct link I’ll be sure to link up ok? I didn’t see it on tumbleweed contessa and a google search came up empty as well (?)
Hi Allie, Saturday Dishes starts at 900PM on Friday 9/13. http://www.tumbleweedcontessa.com/blog.
Sorry for the confusion. Linda
This cake sound wonderful and what a great way to honor your grandmother! I will definitely have to make this cake!
Thanks so much Lyuba! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed! It’s so comforting, and it makes your whole house smell amazing! Thanks so much for stopping by…
Thank you so much for sharing! I made this yesterday and between me, my boyfriend and my housemate there is only a tiny slice left (and only because I promised to save some for a friend)!! Absolutely delicious. It reminds me of a German apple cake recipe my aunt gave me, but the cream cheese really makes it in this one!
Mine didn’t come out that beautiful dark brown colour (sorry, Australian spelling!) like yours – perhaps more cinnamon on top next time?
It’s worth a try! Especially if you like things extra-cinnamony 😉 I’m so happy you and your friends liked it so much! Isn’t it a great recipe? I think I’ll be making it every year, from now on! Thank you so much for reading my blog, trying a recipe, and taking the time to let me know how you liked it! You put a big smile on my face! xoxo
I don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good.
I don’t know who you are but certainly you’re going
to a famous blogger if you are not already 😉
Cheers!
I made this and it was awesome! Thanks for the great recipe.
Oh, yay! I’m so happy you liked it, Sara! Thanks so much for letting me know 😉
That apple cake was delicious. My son had two pieces and he never eats much cake. I loved the brown butter the moist cake and the cinnamon crunch topping. Much better than the one with oil and orange juice.
I’m so happy you and your son liked it so much! I loooved it too. Brown butter, mmmhmmm… makes everything better. Thanks so much for reading my blog and trying one of my favorite recipes 🙂
Loved thus cake I have made it with the addition of blueberries, pecans and dried cranberries on different times so simple and elegant
Thanks for sharing
My pleasure I’m so glad you enjoyed! Thanks so much for the great feedback 😀