 My childhood image of Johnny Appleseed is a curious character something stupid that traipsed through forest planting apple seeds. And although the picture is a bit off (and only a little) I still love him as much as I have always done. Born John Chapman, Johnny Appleseed was a professional grower of the American frontier who helped prepare the way for the pioneering 19th century through the provision of nursery apple trees throughout the Midwest. Sold or gave away thousands of seedlings to pioneers. And as Michael Pollan points out in The Botany of Desire, Chapman was planting apples for hungry stomachs of children pioneers, but to press cider. I'll drink to that! An obsessive love for the planting of trees, of course, a very attractive feature in my mind. And I find their other customs no less enchanting: a generous nature, an affinity for the desert, gentleness with animals, a vast knowledge of herbal medicine, harmony with the Native Americans and, above all, its eccentric appearance. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica Encycolpedia had long hair in a pan of porridge inverted, barefoot, ragged jeans and an old coffee sack over his shoulders with holes for the arms. I tell you: My kind of guy. So Johnny wants a happy birthday, I'm doing this cake that was inspired by a recipe in October 1998 Bon Appetit magazine. It's wet and the apple, and the knee is weaker merengue pie perfect for a delicious fresh goat's historic apple planter. I recommend using a variety of heritage apple, Newtown Pippin apples were the apple of George Washington on the election! For the cake Pippin 2 medium apples, peeled, seeded, diced 1 / 4 cup buttermilk 2 1 / 2 cups and 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 1 / 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 / 2 teaspoon salt 1 / 4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup currants (optional) 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or less 2 cups organic sugar or Sucanat 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 tablespoon brandy 1 1 / 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 4 large organic eggs For the glaze 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup organic brown sugar 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature 1 / 2 cup pure maple syrup 2 cups toasted walnuts, chopped 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Butter and flour three 9 inch cake pans. 3. Combine apples and butter in small saucepan and cook covered over medium-low heat about 20 minutes. For a cake of fine texture, puree in a food processor until smooth, for a thicker cake, apple dice with a knife. Fresh apples. 4. Sift flour 2 1 / 2 cups of baking soda, salt and spices in medium bowl. Mix with the rest of the currants 1 tablespoon flour in small bowl and mix to coat walnuts. 5. Beat sugar, butter, brandy and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until blended, then beat in eggs one at a time. Add half the flour mixture and 1 1 / 4 cups apples, remaining flour mixture. Stir in the raisins and walnuts in the division and the mixture equally among prepared pans. 6. Bake cakes until toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Use a knife around edges to loosen cake, and cool on a wire rack. 7. Make frosting. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until blended, then beat in cream cheese and maple syrup. Cool until frosting begins to be firm, about 20 minutes. 8. When cakes are cool, frost, and then press the nuts around the side of the cake. Cool for 30 minutes and serve. | |
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