This tray of fall fruit from Grouse Mountain Farm at the University District farmers' market is a rainbow of culinary possibilities that can fill fall kitchens with sweet scents of the season.Last year at this time, I was still collecting some farm recipes and I got some great sweet apple and pear recipes for the book revision, but my favorite recipe, Margie's Raw Apple Cake, had disappeared. I'd gotten it from a friend in California decades ago. Recently I discovered a friend had not only retained the recipe but used it time and again with other fruit. Her idea was to cut the sugar in half. That works for me, but you may like your cake sweeter. Use any kind of apples or pears you have on hand. Leave the peels on or take them off, it's your call.
Margie's Raw Apple Cake
2 cups raw diced apples
1 egg
1/4 cup oil (I use Spectrum high heat safflower for baking)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil and flour an 8 by 8-inch cake pan.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, blend egg with raw apples. Then add oil, cinnamon, soda, sugar and salt. Mix well. Stir in flour and nuts, leaving some out to decorate the top of the cake. Place mixture in baking pan. And bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Test with toothpick. Cool on cooling rack before slicing.
