I posted this apple cake recipe YEARS ago, on Blogspot, on my blog called “Melon Memories,”  which still exists, because I am a digital packrat and blogs are hard to kill.

For my Seder this Pesach, I gave the recipe to one of my guests to make.  And they improved it!  So here is the new, improved, recipe, thanks to my neighbor and good friend, Melissa Baten Caswell.

The cake has a batter that goes under and around the apples and a streusel topping that goes over the apples. It gets its lightness from beaten eggs, so don’t rush the mixing process, and use a stand mixer for best results. The original recipe is from “The Complete Passover Cookbook” by Frances R. AvRutick, Jonathan David publishers, copyright 1981.

Cake:
3 eggs
½ TB kosher for Passover vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup cake meal

Filling:
Zest and juice of one Meyer lemon-if you don’t have a Meyer lemon, skip the zest
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced, tossed with lemon juice to keep from browning.

Topping

I sort of worked by feel, rubbing the margarine, brown sugar, and matza meal together by hand. The topping should have the texture of coarse corn meal. If it is too dry, well, add a bit of margarine.

Rub together in small bowl, then set aside:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine
1/2 cup matza meal
1/2 cup brown sugar

In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar and oil until the mixture is light. Add the cake meal and mix well. I use a stand mixer.
Pour half the mixture into a lightly greased 8 or 9-inch square baking pan. Distribute half of the apples over the batter. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and cover with the remaining apples. Combine the topping ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle over the apples. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 1 1/2 hours. Serves 8 or 9.

Double the recipe and you will have a 9×13 inch cake. I always do. The cake freezes well, and is lovely reheated and served warm.