Apple Pecan Pound Cake

This Apple Pecan Pound Cake is loaded with apples, pecans and coconut. It’s moist and tender and full of flavor. A perfect cake for fall.

I’ve been saving this recipe for several months, so I could share it during apple season. Jean, a Barbara Bakes reader, emailed me this family favorite recipe in May. She said “Barbara, I have a wonderful cake recipe that I believe would be a BIG hit.  It is a winner.  I would like for you to try it and if you agree, post it.  It seems extra heavy with a lot of additions but I promise it will be wonderful.”

Jean’s good friend, Judith, gave her this recipe in 1966. “This is truly one of the best cake recipes that I have.  Moist and full of flavor.  It was my idea to use the Brandy flavoring and it really adds a special touch to this exceptional cake.” 

Making An Apple Pecan Pound Cake

After an introduction like that, how could I not give it a try. I picked up some Honeycrisp apples that that were on sale, as well as a Granny Smith apple to use in the recipe. I like using a blend of apples for best results.

Toasting nuts before you use them helps to crisp them up and intensifies the flavor of the nuts. Spread them out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake them for about 5 minutes in a 350º oven; then put them on a plate to cool before chopping and adding them to your batter.

I mixed the chopped pecans with the coconut before adding it to the batter so that there wouldn’t be clumps of coconut, and it would blend into the batter easier.

The recipe calls for a 10 cup tube pan. I used my 12 cup tube pan and it was just right. I use this pan quite a bit for coffee cakes.

Since I live at 5,000 feet, I made high altitude changes using this King Arthur Flour high altitude baking guide. My high altitude changes are listed at the bottom of the recipe.

I’m not a big fan of walnuts, so I switched the walnuts for pecans. If you love walnuts, give it a try with walnuts, or Jean even suggests using black walnuts.

It has a long cook time because of the high moisture content. So the outside of the cake is sweet and the top gets a little crumbly even though it doesn’t have a crumb topping.

I debated whether or not to add a glaze to the cake to dress it up for the pictures. In the end, I’m glad I didn’t because the cake is perfect just the way it is.

Jean was right, this is a fabulous fall cake. Thanks for sending me the recipe Jean. I hope you’ll give it a try too.

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Apple Pecan Pound Cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour*
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar*
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, room temperature*
• 2 teaspoons Brandy flavoring or vanilla extract
• 3 cups peeled, cored, diced apples (about 3 large apples)
• 1 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

1.    Preheat oven to 325º F. Grease and flour a 10 cup tube pan. (I used cooking spray with flour.)

2.    Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside

3.    In a large mixing bowl combine oil, sugar, eggs, and Brandy flavoring (or vanilla if using). Mix at medium speed until well blended. Gradually beat in flour mixture. On low speed mix in apples, coconut, and nuts. 

4.    Spoon batter into prepared pan.

5.    Bake for 80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. DO NOT OPEN OVEN DURING BAKING. Cool for 10 minutes in pan on wire rack. Invert onto rack to cool completely.

Notes

High altitude adjustments I used: Add an additional 2 tablespoons flour, 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons sugar, 4 eggs, increase the oven temperature to 350º, and 75 minute bake time.

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