Sunday, October 17, 2010

Uncle Louie's Apple Cake

A butcher by trade, Uncle Louie enjoyed baking in his spare time. His 'Hint of Mint Cake' was known all over Starke County as the cake to beat at North Judson's annual Mint Festival. He also came up with what we affectionately call, 'Uncle Louie's Apple Cake'. Every year at Thanksgiving, Uncle Louie presented each family with an apple cake. We looked forward to those cakes all year. Even when he was well into his seventies, he was baking thirty cakes for each holiday. Uncle Louie has been gone for over twelve years. We bake this cake every year at apple time, in memory of Uncle Louie.

 Uncle Louie's Apple Cake
 3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

2 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup apple sauce
2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups of diced, unpeeled apples
1 cup chopped nuts (Louie used walnuts)

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Blend oil, eggs, apple sauce and vanilla, then stir into dry ingredients. Stir in diced apples and chopped nuts. Bake in an ungreased 9" x 13" pan at 350 degrees for one hour and 10 minutes. Great topped with vanilla ice cream or a bit of whipped cream.


Please feel free to share this recipe with your friends and family...and tell them they have Louie Ball to thank for the best darn apple cake they've ever eaten.  


Until next time...

7 comments:

  1. Hi Rhonda~
    Uncle Louie would be so proud to know you are sharing his recipe with other fellow apple cake lovers!! It sounds delicious and I can not wait to try it!!! Mmmmm, the smell of apples and cinnamon.....TOTAL COMFORT FOOD!!
    I'm sure it ranks right up there with APPLE PANCAKES!!
    Thanks for sharing!
    Blessings~
    Julie

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  2. Rhonda,
    That cake sounds wonderful! Mind if I carry on your Uncle Louie's tradition and start baking it for Thanksgiving here? My family had an Uncle Louie too but he wasn't particularly known for baking! Maybe sneaking a swig of the vanilla while Auntie baked! LOL I can't wait to try this! Thank-you so much and I know your Uncle would be so proud!
    Cathy G

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  3. Oh , love this recipe ! sounds delicious and I will have to go to the store and get some apples . We had a frost in early spring and therefore, no apples on the apple trees !

    Thought I recognized your photo from somewhere and here it is in the Mercantile Gatherings magazine ! Love the magazine and your articles about days gone by !

    My grandmother and other family members lived on farms and those really were the good olde days ! Slopping the hogs, gathering eggs from the chicken coop, watching my cousins milk the cows the old fashioned way..by hand into a bucket, using the outhouse and in bad weather the chamberpot that was under the bed, pumping the water into the kitchen sink from the water pump... just a few of the memories I have as a child visiting my relatives farms.

    Your corgis are so cute !

    Hugs,
    Linda

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  4. OMGOSH! Just found your blog and I am happy I did.....I have been looking for a recipe for a good apple cake and this one sounds delish!!

    Hope you get a chance to stop by my blog sometime!

    Have a great day!

    Hugs,
    Lori

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  5. Hi I just found your blog and LOVE it. The apple cake looks so yummy I want to go throught screen and eat it! I can smell it from here.
    I joined your blog and I hope you stip by my blog! on website shop I am doing a Christmas giveaway I hope you join my blog and websTre shop.

    I also LOVE the music that you play on your blog!!!!
    Prim Blessings,
    Tricia

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  6. Sounds like a Uncle Louie's cake may become a Connell tradition too~ YUMMY!

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  7. We've been invited for supper this Wednesday evening prior to our "organic church" meeting. I offered to provide the dessert. Guess what I'm going to make?

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