The 3rd Wednesday in March is National Festival of Trees Day in the Netherlands – their version of arbor day. Any Dutch recipe based on the products of trees would be suitable to celebrate the day. Dutch apple cake is an old fav of mine:
Ingredients
½ cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cup milk
2 apples – peeled, cored and cut into eighths
¼ cup white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream the shortening and 1 cup of sugar until light. Beat in the egg and vanilla until fluffy. Add the sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the sifted ingredients.
Spread the batter into a greased 7 x 11-inch baking pan.
Place the apple pieces in rows on the batter with the sharp edges pressed in slightly. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon on top.
Bake at 350º F/175º C for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the cake tests as done with a toothpick.
Book of Days Tales 
Leave a comment