Shanah Tovah! Happy Jewish New Year! This tra-del-ish-ional apple cake is the perfect treat for ringing in the new year...or for fall in general, best with fresh picked apples :) Inspired by Round Pond Estate's artisanal olive oil & Ryan's famous olive oil cake recipe, we wanted to see what would happen if we threw in some apples & nuts... The result was divine. 

RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 12 oz. Round Pond Olive Oil
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1 pealed, cubed green apple
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Swiss Meringue Frosting (adapted from Food Network):

• 10 large egg whites
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 6 sticks unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• 2 tbsp vanilla extrac

Directions:

• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, olive oil, and milk.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Whisk until well blended.
• Fold in almond meal, apples, and peacans.
• Pour mixture into 2 buttered 6-inch cake pans
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• While cake is baking, place egg whites and sugar in large mixing bowl. Set over simmering water.
• Whisk constantly until the sugar melts and the mixture is thin and warm.
• Remove the bowl from heat and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
• Continue beating on low speed until cool, about 15 more minutes.
• Beat in small pieces of butter on low speed. Mixture may "curdle."
• Add vanilla extract.
• Cool cake before frosting.
• Rebeat the frosting if needed to make firmer. 
• Once cake is done, place on a rack to cool, then run a knife around the edges and place it on a plate to frost.
• Frost the cake & apply Chefanie Sheets! 

30 minutes active time, 1 hour and 45 minutes total time

Note: This cake batter is enough for 2, 6-inch cake pans.