Polish Hanukkah Apple Cake

The Jewish community established itself in the colonies as early as 1654, when refugees from Brazil immigrated to Manhattan. By the American Revolution, there were Jewish communities in most of the 13 colonies, with the largest population in Newport, Rhode Island. One Polish Jewish immigrant, Haym Solomon, was not only a spy against the British, but served as an interpreter and a financier for the revolution. He, like the fictional character in this week’s featured children’s book, Hanukkah at Valley Forge, and so many others served behind the lines and on the battlefields of the American Revolution. We were unable to find a specific Hanukkah recipe from the 18^th century, but knowing what was available throughout the colonies/states at that time, something like this may very well have been part of a festive Hanukkah in early America.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup vegetable oil, plus more for greasing pan
• 5 apples (3 Fuji and 2 Granny Smith, or any combination of sweet and tart apples), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2- inch pieces (about 6 cups)
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1/3 cup walnut halves, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups all- purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped almonds
• 1 1/4 cups plus
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease a Bundt pan or a 9x13-inch baking pan. Toss the apples in a large bowl with the zest and juice of the lemon, the walnuts, and the cinnamon. Pulse together the flour, baking powder, salt, almonds, and 11/4 cups of the sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. With the food processor running, add the eggs, oil, and almond extract, processing until just mixed. (If you don’t have a food processor or mixer, it combines well with just a spoon!)

Spoon 1/3 of the batter over the bottom of the pan. Scatter the apples on top, and cover the apples with the remaining batter. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar (you’ll need less if using a Bundt pan). Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. The cake will take a shorter time to bake in the shallow rectangular pan than in the Bundt pan.

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