Apple Cake Recipe (And The Other Side Of The Cake)

Recently, while Caleb was in town for the weekend, Bethany and Anna made their brother a fresh apple cake at his request. This recipe came from a WV church cookbook and has been a tried and true family favorite for many years!

Before I share the recipe, I want to tell you a little secret. There is another side to this cake. Yes, that’s right – this moist and delicious fresh apple cake with brown sugar and butter glaze is hiding something. You see, when the cake was turned over, a portion of it decided it didn’t want to come out of the pan just yet. The results were two disappointed bakers – and one crumbled mess.

Now, what do you do with a partially crumbled cake? Why, you piece it together as best as you can, pour glaze over all of it, and turn the cake around with the crumbled part facing AWAY from the phone before taking a picture of your “masterpiece”. No one else will ever know, right? The only problem is, even though everyone else can only see the “good side” of the cake posted on the blog and social media, the crumbled side is still there.

I can’t help but relate this cake to our lives. How often do we show the best side of our “cake” to others while keeping the crumbled part hidden…turned away from public eye? With that in mind, here are just a few thoughts I’d like to share:

1. Why does THEIR cake look perfect? When we see the “good side” of someone’s cake – you know…that picture-perfect life – resist becoming envious. The Bible reminds us:

“Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.” Job 14:1

Everyone has trouble and, according to the above verse, plenty of it. What looks like a baking masterpiece of a life most likely has a portion that is a hidden crumbled mess. It has been said that if we knew the troubles of others, we wouldn’t want to trade our problems for theirs.

2. Should we just give up and throw our crumbled cake in the trash? Nooo!! A crumbled mess is not a death sentence on a cake – unless our only concern is its OUTWARD appearance. Nor is a crumbled mess a death sentence on hope in a person’s life. In fact, God often allows us to go through a time when our life literally seems to be falling to pieces with all OUR hopes, plans, and dreams stuck in big chunks to the side of a pan. But then as we, in humility, cry out to Him, He lovingly picks up the broken pieces of our lives and pieces them back together according to HIS plan.

No, a cake that has been pieced together is not a real pretty sight. It doesn’t make a pretty picture for the world to see. It’s definitely not something that would win a food photo contest.

Likewise, a life that has been through its share of “crumbling” may indeed have plenty of cracks. But, when the Lord has been allowed to pick up the pieces, the results are a beautiful picture of the grace of God!

3. Does a crumbled, pieced-back-together cake REALLY taste good?? Well, let’s see…judging from this cake stand, I would have to say, “YES!!”

In fact, while I think about it, the crumbled side may have even tasted better! Because of all the individual chunks of cake, the brown sugar and butter glaze had plenty of room to seep way down into the crevices – YUM!

Can God REALLY use a crumbled up life?? YESSSSS!!! It was A.W. Tozer who said,

When we respond to trials in the right way – with humility and brokenness before God – the results are pleasing to the Lord!!

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17

And, we are exactly where God wants us in order to enjoy His fellowship!

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” James 4:6

I do pray that these thoughts have been an encouragement to someone today. Remember, when Satan wants to remind you of your “baking failure” – remind HIM of how God is able to pick up that crumbled mess and piece it back together into something EXTRA SWEET!

And now, the recipe for this super yummy cake!

FRESH APPLE CAKE

• 4 cups chopped apples with 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

TOPPING

• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Mix together flour, salt, eggs, soda, sugar, cinnamon, and oil BY HAND. Batter will be stiff. Add apples and mix well. Add pecans and mix well. Bake in greased and floured tube pan for 1 hour at 350 degrees or until knife inserted comes out clean.

For topping, mix 1/2 cup melted butter and brown sugar. Spread on cake while warm. Top with pecans. Enjoy!!