Apple Walnut Cake

This flavourful cake is all about apples. . . and you’ll be hard pressed to find a more delicious cake with such healthful ingredients. Boasting the nutrients of 3 cups of apples, the healthy Omega-3 fats of walnuts, whole wheat flour, and just enough sugar for optimal sweetness, you can enjoy this nutritious treat as a breakfast bread, a nourishing snack, or a light dessert. This recipe produces an 8 x 8 cake and it doesn’t rise a lot (after all, it is mostly apples . . .), but you can make a more substantial and impressive dessert if you double the recipe and bake it in a bundt tin.

Ingredients

3 cups apples, diced
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (if available, regular whole wheat flour is fine)
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp. trans-free margarine or butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Not your typical cake mixing! Mostly healthful apples, with walnuts and a bit of batter.

Cut apples into small chunks, leaving the peels on. Chop walnuts. Set aside.
Mix the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon.
In a separate large bowl, cream sugar and margarine or butter. Mix in the egg and vanilla, then add the flour mixture.
Add the apples and walnuts (dough will be stiff – use your hands if you must!).
Spread mixture in an ungreased 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 inch pan (or a 9-inch pie plate or round cake pan) and bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes (timing varies depending on the pan used; the cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean).

Makes EIGHT Servings

Nutrition Per Serving

200 calories
3 g protein
32 g carbohydrate
8 g fat (1.5 g sat)
25 mg cholesterol
2 g fiber
210 mg sodium
100 mg potassium
15 mg calcium
15 mg magnesium

Tips and Variations

Toast the walnuts first for maximum flavor
Add orange zest to the batter
You’ll find tips for selecting, preparing, and storing apples here.

Nutrition Notes

Walnuts are a good source of healthy fats, and contain more of the omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) than other nuts. Eating walnuts has been associated with lowering cholesterol, reducing breast cancer risk (in mice), helping control blood sugar, and reducing the risk of diabetes.
Apples are a good source of fiber, and rich in antioxidants and other protective compounds. Don’t peel your apples, because you’re throwing away important nutrients. Not only does the peel account for about 75% of an apple’s dietary fiber, but also about two-thirds of an apple’s antioxidants are found in its peel. In addition, apple peels contain biologically active components with anticancer effects called triterpenoids. Ursolic acid is another protective compound in apple peels that might prevent muscle atrophy associated with aging and help control blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides, and possibly increase brown fat. Read more about the health benefits of apples here.