Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

It been a busy few weeks here in Falls Church. I can't believe how quickly time is passing by. Sometimes it seems like yesterday that we moved here, and others times it feels like we've been here forever. Either way quantifying it at 2 months doesn't seem to fit.

This week marks the demise of two day weekends for me. For some reason I willingly took on an extra 5 hour shift on Saturday mornings. The extra hours are good and they really needed a little help on the weekends so it'll be fine, but I think I'll miss my two full days off. Luckily, during the week work 2 half days so I have some afternoons to relax, do errands, catch up on housework and all that fun stuff.

Work is good. Kate, the 3-year-old, is doing well. She's adjusting to all the changes and most days we have lots of fun. I spend much less time with her now that Charlie is here and she is in preschool every morning, so the time we do have together has been quite fun. Charlie, the 3-week-old, is doing well and he is a pleasure to take care of. There is something so sweet about a newborn. He's just so fragile and dependent. I guess I've got the sweet end of the deal. I get to take care of the newborn during the day then go home to my quite apartment and sleep soundly all night. I know my time will come and I won't have a nanny to take over for me during the day, so I'm enjoying this non-committal dip in the parenting pool. I'm learning lots about what it means to be a good mother and how much patience and long suffering it requires. I think that when Greg and I have kids I'll be better prepared than I was before this job.

While I like my work, sometimes I feel like work is all I do. I know, welcome to life and adulthood, but I just don't feel like I'm really accomplishing anything of value. I'm just making money so that we can pay the bills and not add to our student loans. Making money isn't very meaningful. I guess I should expand my view and see that I'm making money so that we don't have to take out additional debt so that when Greg graduates we won't be burdened with colossal amounts of debt. It really does give us more flexibility in the future, but some days it just feels empty and I wonder what I'm doing with my life.

Overall life is good. I have a great husband, a good job, a nice apartment, good health, a running car, caring family and friends and the ability to do all the things I need to do, as well as so many of the things that I want to do. I'm blessed, even though I forget it sometimes.

Finally on to the recipe.....this cake is delicious! I saw it a few weeks ago on one of the blogs I regularly check, thought about making it and then let it pass by. A few days ago it popped up on a different blog with rave reviews so I figured I should go for it. It was well worth the minimal effort. It's moist, flavorful and not too sweet. It was a yummy fall treat and I'd make it again! It got two thumbs up from both Greg and I.

Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

from Lick the Bowl Good

Apple Cake

1 1/2 c flour

1 c sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs

1/2 c canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c fined chopped apples

1/2 c pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)

Brown Sugar Glaze

1/2 c packed brown sugar

3 TBSP butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 TBSP heavy cream (we used milk)

For the cake:

Heat oven to 350. Grease 8" pan (round or square) and set aside.

In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir with a whisk to mix everything together.

In separate bowl, mix eggs with hand mixer until light in color and foamy. Add oil and vanilla and beat well. Stir in the flour mixture with a spoon and continue stirring the batter until the flour disappears. Add the apples and nuts and sitr to mix them into the batter.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

For the glaze:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

Spoon the hot glaze over the hot-from-the-oven cake. Let the glazed cake cool completely before serving.