This a winner, kids. I got this recipe from a blogger I read and emailed with for years — I’d send you her way, but she stopped blogging a while ago. This is perfect for any fall or winter holiday, or for the office potluck. Or probably for impressing your future in-laws, if they’re foodies.

The rule: Don’t bring this to a potluck if I’m going to be there…or check with me first, at least.

The original recipe splits Applecake into two words, but I’ve found that people tend to say it as one and imply an exclamation point, so…

Mac’s Applecake(!)

Cake ingredients:

• 2 c. sugar (white)
• 1 c. unsalted butter at room temp.
• 2 eggs
• 1 c. milk
• 3 c. AP flour
• 2 t. baking soda
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• DO THIS FIRST: 8 medium Braeburn apples, peeled and cut into small chunks (not quite diced)

Topping:

• 4 t. melted butter (cooled)
• 4 t. flour
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 2 t. cinnamon

Steps (after peeling and chopping the apples):

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs.

Mix in milk. Transfer to your largest bowl, if you’re not already using it.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, leavening, and salt.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.

Stir in apples by hand. If it looks like more apples than batter, it’s right.

Scrape batter into into a greased 9 x 13 pan.

Combine topping ingredients, mix well with fork.

Spread topping over top of cake.

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Topping should look sort of crusty.

Optional: Serve a la mode with vanilla or dulce de leche ice cream.

(I have also baked this in smaller, individual glass dishes and as cupcakes. The former worked better than the latter. I’m too impatient with cupcakes, which are too small to take so damn long.)