Passover Apple Cake

I have my family’s copy of The Jewish Woman’s Cookbook from 1968! I’ve always wanted to make something from it, and this year I decided to go for it.

You can’t use flour or any leavening agents like baking powder or soda in Passover desserts; so, this cake is kind of spongy and fluffy. You fill the batter to the top of the pan unlike other cakes where you leave it room to rise.

Adapted from Sarah Lee Margolis’ Passover Apple Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup matzo meal
• 1/3 cup ground unblanched almonds
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 8 medium-sized cooking apples (I used Cortland). Peeled, cored, and quartered.
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1 Tablespoon. fresh orange juice
• 8 egg whites
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 8 egg yolks, well beaten

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 325F
2. Mix first three ingredients and set aside.
3. Shred apples. Stir in orange peel and juice. Set aside.
4. Beat egg whites and salt until frothy. Gradually add the sugar, beating constantly until stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold in beaten egg yolks, blending well.
5. Gently fold matzo meal mixture and then grated apples into egg mixture. Turn batter into a greased (bottom only) 13x9x2-in. baking pan.
6. Bake at 325F for about 1 1/2 hours or until cake is well browned. Remove from oven and set on wire rack. Cool completely in pan.
7. Cut into squares to serve. If desired, top with whipped cream.