Safta's Apple Cake

Safta means grandma in Hebrew.  This is a recipe that has been in my family since I was little.  My grandma used to make it all the time, and I actually never liked it as a young child.  Now my grandma lives in Florida, so my cousin and mom have continued the tradition of making this cake. It's a family favorite for sure!!  I have gotten to like it as I've grown older, and now I am sharing it with you!  Hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!

Safta's Apple Cake
For the Dough:
2 sticks softened margarine (If you are Kosher make sure it's the Fleischman's Pareve Margarine)
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 egg
2 cups + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined into a dough.
Spread half of the dough on the bottom of a well greased spring form pan (could be square or round).  To help spread the dough, grease your hands with non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil to prevent the dough from sticking all over.  Try to make the bottom cake layer as even as possible.  Place the spring form pan and dough mixture in the food processor in the fridge while you prepare the apple filling.

For the Apple Filling:

4-5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and grated using the food processor

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1/4 cup flour, OR graham cracker crumbs, OR bread crumbs (to absorb apple juices while baking)

Use the food processor, fitted with a grating blade, grate the apples.  Place grated apples in a bowl along with sugar, lemon juice, flour, and cinnamon.  Mix until well coated.  Use your hands to squeeze out the juice from the apples and place on top of bottom dough layer.  Repeat this step until all the grated apples are evenly spread in the spring form pan.  

Get the dough from the fridge and with greased hands, spread the rest of the dough on top of the apples. Use a fork to poke holes in the cake to allow the steam escape while cooking. You can also use a knife to monogram the cake, like I did (see photo below) when I made this cake for a friend.   

Sprinkle top layer generously with sugar.  Place in oven and bake for about an hour or until golden brown.  Let cool slightly before taking a knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the pan.  Open spring form pan and use large spatula or knife to loosen bottom and slide onto serving platter.  Serve at room temperature, slice, and enjoy. 

Note: If there are leftovers the cake should be refrigerated.

A monogrammed cake makes a great gift to bring to someone's house for dinner!