Fresh Apple Spice Cake

What to do when someone shares fresh apples from their tree- Make Fresh Apple Spice Cake

Smells Wonderful!! Great with ice cream and caramel sauce


1 cup chopped Walnuts
1/2 cup dark rum
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup avocado oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp grated orange zest from 2 oranges
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced into 1/4 inch pieces (3 to 4 apples)
Vanilla Ice cream
Caramel Sauce

Preheat 350 degrees. Grease and Flour 9x13 inch baking pan

Place Walnuts on a baking sheet and toast them for 5 to 10 minutes until lightly toasted. Set aside. Combine the Rum and chopped dates in a small glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 60 seconds. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, and orange zest on medium speed for 3 minutes.  Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves into a medium bowl.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, just until combined. Drain the dates, discarding the liquid.  With a rubber spatula, fold in the dates, walnuts, and apples into the batter.  Spread into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Set aside to cool, cut into squares, and serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of warm caramel sauce.

This Cake can be made ahead and stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours.