Here There and Everywhere

Soused Apple Cake for the Fish Fry

It’s a three-day weekend, but I have things I need to do, so I am up at my normal time to bake while the day is still – well, not cool, but not so hot as later in the day. I need to make a salad; I need to bake a cake. We are invited to a fish fry – one of our favorite invitations. The host and his wife fry up a “mess” of fish, really good fish, and the rest of us are allowed to bring sides.

This cake, Soused Apple Cake, is easy, except for remembering to slice the apples a day before and soak the slices overnight in brandy. I could be like those famous cooks who tell you, “use a very good (olive oil, brandy, etc),” but honestly, here it would be a waste of good brandy because the brandy is a supporting actor and will be competing with cinnamon and nutmeg, so just use something you would use for cooking, not drinking.

It is also a very sweet cake. I have tried over the many years I’ve been making it, to make it healthier. It just isn’t the same. Today, I followed the original “can’t stop eating this cake” recipe.

Soused Apple Cake

4 cups sliced apples

brandy

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup salad oil

2 eggs

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans

Peel, core, and finely slice apples; put into bowl and cover with brandy. Let sit overnight.

Combine sugar, salad oil and eggs. Set aside. Sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add to oil mixture. Drain apples, mix in, adding chopped pecans. Mix well (it will be thick) and pour into a greased and floured 9”x13” baking dish. Cook at 330°F for 1 hour.

Let stand ten minutes while you prepare topping.

Pecan topping

1 stick butter 

2 Tablespoons milk

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Combine butter, milk, and sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil, then boil for one minute. Add pecans, mix well, and spoon over apple cake while it is still hot.

The original recipe invites you to serve with whipped cream, but I find it to be overkill.

September 5, 2026 Posted by intlxpatr | Community, Cooking, Cultural, ExPat Life, Food, Friends & Friendship, Quality of Life Issues, Recipes, Weather | baking, brandy, dessert, Fish Fry, Food, pecans, recipe, Recipes, Soused Apple Cake | Leave a comment