Crabapple Cake

Native to the Northern Hemisphere, the crabapple, also known as wild apple, is commonly used in apple orchards to help with pollination. Every sixth or seventh tree is often a crabapple, its fragrant blossoms attracting extra bees to the orchard each spring.

The fruit of the crabapple is oftentimes quite tart and not a favorite with many cooks. But they’re full of pectin and are usually used to make a beautiful ruby-red jelly, pickled in a vinegary brine or canned in a sugar syrup with cloves. After searching the internet for recipes, I came upon the following one from the Manitoba Association of Home Economists’s website, Home & Family. This wonderful, old-fashioned cake is incredibly moist and flavorful. It’s delicious by itself, but few people would object to a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Crabapple Cake

2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups finely chopped crabapples, unpeeled*
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Blend flour, soda, salt and spices together. Combine oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl and beat completely. Stir in finely chopped crabapples and nuts. Mix in dry ingredients, one-third at a time. Pour into prepared 9 x 13-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes.

* If crabapples are unavailable, the same amount of Granny Smith apples may be substituted, but they must be peeled.