Aunt Gladys' Apple Cake (or pudding)

Tomorrow our "community" at UALC is having a brunch. We have 9 services, and after a number of experiements, our leadership has decided we're not a megachurch, we're 9 communities. Everyone we knew or did things with since 1976 when we became members are scattered around, but we like to go early, so we are part of the 8:15 traditional service. Personally, I would prefer a mix of music with liturgy, the way we did about 15-17 years ago before music defined everything, but no one asked me.

Anyway, back to the title of this blog--Aunt Gladys' Apple Cake or Pudding. I decided to use the family cookbook (1993) for this event, and was quite charmed by my cousin Judy's remark about this recipe of her mother who died in 1976.

"When I take a bite of this it brings tears to my eyes--it brings back so many memories of Mom."

That's the beautiful thing about using a family recipe--you can spend some time thinking about that family member.

Aunt Gladys and Uncle Ken lived in Byron, Illinois during my young years. They would bring my 3 cousins, Melvin (Mike), Kirby, and Judy to my grandparents on Sunday afternoon, and we'd all be together, because my parents brought the four of us from Forreston before we moved back to Mt. Morris in 1951. Then later they added a fourth--Rodney. As a youngster I thought my aunt was terribly old to be having another baby, but I just took a look at my genealogy, and she would have been 32! That shows you how children perceive their elders--they are always, always old and usually very wise!

It's still in the oven, and the mix was terribly stiff. It has no liquid and no salt. I substituted Splenda for the sugar, and often it doesn't cream the same way.

Beat together
1 cup of sugar (Splenda)
1/2 cup butter
1 egg

Add
3 medium apples, cored, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
1 1/4 cups of flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. soda

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Judy suggested a 3 qt round casserole dish, which I don't have, so I reserved a bit, so I could taste it, and she suggested 325 degrees. Several other relatives of Gladys submitted this recipe, so I sort of blended it.

I'm guessing this works best if it is served warm, which it won't be tomorrow when it appears (if it passes my taste test) in Founders Hall at Lytham Rd. UALC traditional service brunch.

Update: Tasted sort of dry--I'm looking for the original--I must have it somewhere.

Update 2: Found all three versions of this. No liquid. It is what it is. Dry. I think I'll take some Cool-Whip along.