George Washington Cake

This old-fashioned apple cake is a holiday favorite for good reason: it’s loaded with fruit, warmly spiced, and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting that keeps it from being too sweet.

The build is a little unusual. Sliced apples go into the bottom of the baking dish first, then a simple oil-based batter of eggs, sugar, self-rising flour, cinnamon, vanilla, and walnuts is spread right over them.

As it bakes, the apples soften into a moist, almost jammy layer beneath the cake, while the walnuts add crunch throughout.

Once it’s completely cool, you slather on a cream cheese frosting and finish with a decorative fan of thin apple slices dipped in lemon juice to keep them from browning.

It’s a generous, crowd-pleasing cake, just right for Christmas or any gathering where you need to feed a table.

Pro Tips

• Cool the cake completely before frosting, or the cream cheese icing will slide right off.
• Dip the decorative apple slices in lemon juice, as the recipe says, so they stay bright instead of browning.
• Don’t overbake; watch it closely toward the end so the cake stays moist.

Variations

• Use tart Granny Smith apples for a nice contrast to the sweet cake and frosting.
• Swap the walnuts for pecans, or add raisins to the batter.
• Add a pinch of nutmeg or cloves for more holiday spice.