How to Make a Raw Apple Cake

An old-time favorite that is packed full of generous amounts of apples, walnuts, and raisins. This delicious cake needs no frosting!

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 cups diced raw apples - Granny Smith apples work best
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Steps

1. Obtain the necessary ingredients.
2. Preheat oven to 275ºF.
3. Prepare the baking dish by greasing the bottom and sides. You may spray the pan with a vegetable oil spray, if you wish.
4. In a large mixing bowl, mix sugar, oil, raw apples and eggs together.
5. Stir in flour, soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla.
6. Add chopped nuts, raisins and cinnamon, and stir.
7. Pour into prepared baking dish and spread batter evenly.
8. Bake at 275ºF for 45 minutes to an hour for metal baking pan; glass baking pans can take as long as an hour and 15 minutes to bake, depending on the oven.

Tips

• To prevent the raw apples from browning, add a teaspoon of lemon juice to a bowl of water and keep diced apples in the water until you're ready to add the apples to the mix (drain water from apples before adding to the mix). A cup of 7-Up or Sprite (lemonade) can be used if no lemon juice is available.
• Test the center of the cake with a knife or toothpick to see if it's done; the knife or toothpick should come out clean when cooking is complete, though bits of apple may stick. Give it a visual check, too; when completely cooked, the top has a uniform brownness. If the center of the cake's top is lighter in color than the outsides of the cake's top, it isn't done yet. Don't undercook!
• This is a fun recipe to make with children - a younger child can "chop" the nuts by placing them in between towels laid on a hard surface, and whack them with a pan to break the nuts into smaller pieces. Older children can help dice apples.
• Adding nuts and/or raisins is optional.
• Frosting isn't necessary; however, it does have that "unfinished" look without it. To give the raw apple cake more visual appeal, try a light sugar glaze drizzled over the top. A whipped-style cream cheese or spice frosting goes well with this cake, too.
• To keep fresh longer, it's best kept refrigerated.

Warnings

• The low baking temperature is the key to the richness of this cake. Don't try baking this cake at higher temperatures or the results will be disappointing!

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• Stirring implements
• 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish (glass is best)