Polish Apple Cake - A Simple Autumn Dessert

When I was grocery shopping over the weekend I noticed bags of  McIntosh Apples from Turner, Maine.  The apples turned out to be crisp and delicious. a perfect combination for this easy dessert.  The recipe comes from my mom's friend Connie.  I wish I could say the recipe was passed down from my Polish grandparents but the recipes we have are for classic dishes like pierogi and golumpki.  My grandmother did make delicous polish cookies called chrusty (a lightly fried pastry cookie covered in confectioner's sugar in beautiful flower shapes).  I have fond memories of these cookies around the holidays.

This apple cake has a wonderful moist texture and beautiful golden brown crumb top.  I made a few changes to Connie's original recipe.  When I started measuring out ingredients I forgot about the sour cream.  I almost never have that on hand and ended up using Chobani Vanilla Yogurt instead.   The results were incredible.  This is one of the few cakes I know that can be reheated in the microwave without ruining the texture.  Let me know what you think.  Enjoy!

Polish Apple Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Lightly grease a 13 X 9 X 2 inch pan (I used glass)

In standing mixer cream:
1/2 C butter
1 C sugar

Add and mix:

1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

In a separate bowl combine:
2 C flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Add this to the egg mixture alternating with:

1 C sour cream (OR 1 C Chobani Vanilla Yogurt)

Fold in 4 apples that have been peeled and chopped

Spread batter evenly in baking pan. 

For topping, thoroughly mix the following:

1/2 C chopped pecans
1/3 C brown sugar
1/4 C flour
1 tsp. ground cinamon
2 Tb. melted butter

Sprinkle topping evenly over the apple batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.