This ghostly image of my grandparents, my mom and her little brother recently appeared in my life. The double exposed photo from the 1930’s shows a smiling family posing for a camera and then walking away. My grandfather’s translucent image shows him tenderly reaching for his little boy. They are dressed up in their Sunday best. Perhaps this cake was the dessert my grandmother had baked and was waiting for them.
I hear my grandmother‘s whisper to me across the decades. The first line of her yellowed, handwritten recipe says, “Here is a good cake recipe I want you to try,” and it concludes with “sure is a good moist cake.”
Maw Maw’s Fresh Apple Cake
2 cups sifted flour
1 cup sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. cinnamon*
½ cup shortening
1 ½ cup grated peeled apple
½ cup apple sauce*
2 tbsp. milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Optional: ½ cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)*
Sift the first 7 dry ingredients together. Add shortening, grated apples, applesauce and milk. Beat together for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes. Fold in nuts. Pour batter in a greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until done.
* Added to original recipe
I treasure my grandmother’s handwritten recipes. I felt her spirit with me as I used her apple-coring tool, her apple-green Depression Glass plates and her silverware. And Maw Maw was right, it sure is a good cake recipe and I’m glad I tried it.
Here are a few other of Maw Maw’s recipes I’m sure she’d love for you to try.
Maw Maw’s Hot Milk Cake
Maw Maw’s Cocoon Cookies
I honor my maternal lineage: I am Connie Lee, daughter of Jimmie Dee, daughter of Jimmie Corrine, daughter of Minnie Mae; mother of Jade Lee-Mei.
Connie McLeod 
Love your blog and your photos. I look forward to them. And now, I am missing my Maw Maw!
Thanks Lisa. Cooking her recipes connects me to the young vital woman I never knew. It has become an amazing connection.
What an intriguing photo! And that recipe sounds delicious. Thank you for sharing these memories.
Laurel, I came across this photo while looking for something to post. It seemed the perfect photo for October!
Oh, that is a great photo, and you do it justice by embedding it in a post with a recipe and with a discussion of memories / legacies. Good job!
Thanks Karen, somehow a photo with ghosted images and a recipe with apples all came together for an October post.
It made my heart warm to see the yellowed handwritten recipe and the beautiful cake that you made using it. Perfect for this time of year in so many ways. Loved the ghostly photo, too — what a treasure!
Thanks Joy, those recipes are one of the things I treasure most.
Heritage recipes are to be treasured. This cake looks wonderful and the photo is a memorable part of your writing about it. thank you for sharing.
The cake was good but finding that photo was the treasure.
I know what you mean about feeling connected through recipes: whenever I make something from my mother-in-law’s extensive (and delicious!) collection, I feel her in the kitchen with me. It’s a true blessing.
The older I get the more I appreciate that heritage from the women who came before me.
i have made several apple cakes and none had the apple sauce in the ingredient list! I am anxious to try this, because I bet it really does help with the moisture. BTW, I also called my grandmother MAW MAW….
Pam, applesauce helps cut back on oil and sugar too.
I, too, have some old family recipes. Hand written. Such lovely memories. And your cake recipe sounds delish!
These posts have been a great way to share my grandmother’s recipes with my family. Thanks for commenting.
That photo is amazing! Now I’m off to try the recipe!
Cheryl, let me know if you bake it!
Oh yum, this sounds delish, Connie, and I must give it a try. The photos are amazing! Wow. I also love how you have the handwritten recipes from your Maw Maw. I saved my Nana’s recipes, too. They are priceless.
Helene, we are both lucky to have that bit of our heritage.
Apple cake sounds and looks wonderful!
Thanks, it is a delicious cake!
What a beautiful pic, I can almost taste how good it is, and I love that you saved the handwritten recipe.
I treasure those handwritten recipes. Thanks for commenting.
Your cake looks delicious! Love the photo and handwritten recipe.
Love that picture. It gave me chills. Ellen
Ellen, I agree, it’s an amazing image.
I love reading your Maw Maw’s recipes and stories — and that picture is AMAZING!
I love that picture too!
The best thing about all these recipes are the memories attached to them.
I could not agree more!
Great photo and story..Love the hand scrawl..Check out my Sweet and Savory Pumpkin. Tonight I will make the pumpkin and your cake for my birthday treat.
Thanks Renee. I’m planning on going to the farmer’s market today, I’m craving pumpkin! I hope you have the best birthday full of sweet and savory treats.
I love that you have the original, handwritten recipe! Items such as that are great treasures. And since this is apple season in Ohio, I’m going to have to try this recipe. My husband loves apple cake!
Marci, when I went through my grandmother’s recipes, I knew I had to bake the apple cake in October because of apple season!
Looks and sounds delectable! I can’t believe how similar the handwriting is to my maternal grandmother’s!
Phoebe, I think they all took penmanship in school.
What a gret post , picture and recipe.
Thanks Haralee.
Such an incredible photo, Connie. How touching to come upon such a find. I can’t wait to try Maw Maw’s cake recipe. It sure does look to be a “good moist cake.” (My mouth is watering, I swear!)
Thanks Lisa. It is a delicious cake, let me know if you make it!
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