Apple Sheet Cake

For years, this has been my favorite and preferred Birthday Cake.  My Gramma Pickles used to make it just right when I was a teenager.  But now she's older and doesn't cook anymore, it's been years since I had it.  The recipe has been long since lost -- until someone brought it to work one day, and I asked for the recipe.  Yum!  My sweet husband has since made this for me on birthdays the last few years.  It makes me look forward to getting another year older just to have apiece of this Apple Sheet Cake again!   

Here's the gadget that makes peeling all those apples quick and easy!

 

 In about 10 minutes, a whole bag of apples is reduced to the sum of its parts, including cores, flesh, and long strings of apple peels.

Apple Sheet Cake - "Happy Cake"

Use your favorite pie crust / pastry recipe.

We prefer a double batch of Rose Levy Beranbaum's basic crust (p.22 of the Pie & Pastry Bible).
Make 2 batches of the #3 size.  However, if you're short on time, try this one instead :

Pastry :
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk

Apple Filling :
3 pounds apples - peeled, cored, and sliced
        Cortlands and/or MacIntosh cook down nicely for this.
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 T. all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter

Icing :
1-3/4 cup powdered sugar
1-1/2 T milk
2-1/2 T. butter, softened
1/2 tsp Vanilla

Directions :
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening to the consistency of course crumbs. Stir in 1 cup cold milk, slowly until completely blended.  Separate dough into two balls.  Roll out one ball of dough to fit a 15 x 10 inch pan with some dough extending over the edge of the pan.

2.  In a large bowl, combine sliced apples, sugar, cinnamon, and 2 T. flour. Place filling in an even layer over prepared crust.  Thinly slice 1/2 cup butter and evenly distribute over the apples.  Roll out the remaining dough and place over the apple filling.  Seal edges and prick the top all over with a fork.

3.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes before frosting.

4. To make the frosting : In a small bowl, combine ingredients for icing.  Beat until smooth and creamy.