My grandmother wasn’t big on writing things down—I only have one recipe from her. So I spend a lot of time recreating my memories in the kitchen. That includes her black walnut apple spice cake, which I wrote about in my This Land column for G&G’s October/November 2025 issue.
What I’ve whipped up lies somewhere between a quick bread and a bundt cake. I think cakes should be an experience—not just the taste but the aroma, the texture. This one is moist with a good crumb. The molasses gives the whole thing weight without weighting it down. The batter is flexible, too; I’ve baked it in a tube pan to serve at dinners, but I’ve also turned it into mini loafs to give to friends.
This cake is all about balance, and it’s filled with complex flavors that work well together. The black pepper stimulates the taste buds, priming the tongue for the earthy floral flavor of black walnuts. The spices round out the sharp crunch of the apples; I often use Granny Smith, Jonagold, and even Rosalee varieties when I can find them, but Honeycrisps and Pink Ladies hold up too.
The icing was a “sometimes” touch—sometimes we had the ingredients to make it, sometimes we didn’t. Either way, a piece of this cake, a cup of black coffee, and my morning magazine is one of my favorite ways to start my day.
