In How to Survive Middle School, an 11-year-old boy turns to his grandmother, whom he calls Bubbe, when he needs comfort. Comfort food is part of that, and you can tap into that spirit when serving meals to book club members of all types, whether your reading group is for kids or adults. Here’s the recipe for apple cake author Donna Gephart provides in her book.
Bubbe’s Jewish Apple Cake
Serves 8
- 4 large apples
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 4 eggs
- 1-1/2 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 cup applesauce
- 3 cups flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- ½ cup raisins (optional)
- powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Pare and slice apples. Soak apples in a large bowl of water with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Set aside.
Combine two tablespoons sugar and two teaspoons cinnamon and set aside. Beat eggs; beat in 1-1/2 cups sugar gradually; then beat in applesauce. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture and orange juice alternately to applesauce mixture, starting with flour mixture, stirring after each addition. Add vanilla and stir. Mix in raisins (optional).
Pour ¼ of the batter into greased pan; arrange 1/3 of the apple slices on top; sprinkle with 1/3 of the cinnamon mixture. Repeat layers twice, then add a layer of batter to the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 80 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
Enjoy, bubelah!
