Mom's Apple Squares with Maple Glaze

Does it look like fall yet in your neck of the woods?  It does here.  The leaves have finally started to turn, some of them having tumbled to the ground already, just waiting to be raked into big piles of kid romping fun.  The only thing that doesn't feel like fall is the temperature.  My son is still running around in short sleeves and shorts, and I'm still waiting for the chance to pull out his fall clothes.  Long sleeved thermal shirts, hooded sweatshirts, jeans and jackets, these are a few of my favorite things....la la la.  Before I break into song and scare you away forever, I will get to the matter at hand.  Food.  Namely, apples.

I know everyone is pulling out their apple recipes, pushing up their sleeves and whipping up hoards of apple sauce, apple butter, apple cake, apple everything.  Apple, apple, apple.  Have you ever said a word enough times, that it begins to sound weird?  Sorta like spoon.  Spoon.  Spoon.  OK, I'll stop now:)  I'm afraid I'll be joining the ranks of the apple-dish-making-fiends, and since I've already gotten a start with my Harvest Apple Cookies, I'll proceed to my next recipe.  Mom's Apple Squares with Maple Glaze.  These little apple squares are the perfect combination of apples and spice, and have the perfect texture.  A little crunchy on the outside, yet soft and moist on the inside.  I added a little pure maple syrup to the glaze to give it that little something extra.  These were good enough to get my son's vote, and I will be making them again.

Mom's Apple Squares with Maple Glaze
Printable Recipe

Cake
3 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (you can substitute any oil, like coconut)
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (whole wheat pastry flour would substitute well)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 cups chopped unpeeled apples (Braeburn, Gala, or similar)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla extract

Maple Glaze
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tbsp butter, softened
2-3 tablespoons whole milk
1 tbsp pure maple syrup (can use maple extract also)

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Coat a 15x10-inch jelly-roll pan with nonstick baking spray with flour; set aside.  Leave the apples unpeeled, but remove core and chop the apples into small pieces.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine eggs and salt.  Beat at medium speed until frothy, about 1 minute.  Add the sugar and oil, and beat until blended.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, and beat just until combined. 

Fold in the apples, nuts and vanilla.  Pour into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.  Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and set.  Set the pan on a wire rack, let cool. 

For the Glaze:

In a medium bowl combine the powdered sugar, butter and enough milk to make a spreadable consitency.  This was about 2 tablespoons for me. Mix until smooth. Add the tablespoon of maple syrup/maple extract, and stir.  Spread over the mostly cooled cake.  Let the frosting set, then cut into bars.

Tip: You can also bake this cake in ramekins, just fill with batter about 1/2 - 2/3 full.  If you fill too high it will spill over the sides.  Bake until cake is golden and set, about 30-35 minutes.  I set a small amount of my batter aside to make one ramekin, and my son loved having his own individual sized cake.

(adapted from Phyllis Hoffman Celebrate Fall 2010)