Name: Apple and Pear Cake with Citrus and Nuts

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1//2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 lemon
• 1 medium orange
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large apples (about 20 ounces), peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater, excess liquid squeezed out
• 1 ripe pear, peeled and grated, excess liquid squeezed out
• 1 cup finely chopped nuts, such as pecans and walnuts
• Confectioner’ sugar for dusting

Instructions:

• Position rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350º
• Grease a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, letting enough excess to form a sling for removing the cake.
• Secure the paper to the pan with a few metal clips and grease it too.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Remove the zest from the lemon and orange. You should have about 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of orange zest.
• Peel, coarsely chop, and then puree the citrus fruit together.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of the puree and repurpose the rest.
• Transfer the zest to a large bowl with the granulated sugar, and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moistened and fragrant.
• Add eggs, oil, and vanilla extract to the sugar mixture, and beat vigorously with a whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined.
• Whisk the flour and the pureed fruit into the mixture, one third at a time, beating well after each addition. You can switch to a wooden spoon or flexible spatula once the batter thickens.
• Stir in the grated apple, pear, and mixed nuts.
• Pour into the pan, and bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Turn the cake onto the rack and let it cool completely.
• Cut and serve, dusting with confectioner’ sugar before serving.

Comments: 4/30/2022 - This took much of an afternoon. The vegetable oil was canola. When I realized that step 7 meant that I would only use a little of the pureed citrus, I decided to only use 1/2 the lemon and 1/3 the large orange, saving the remainder as whole fruit for other use. I used the large ceramic bowl and the large glass measuring cup for mixing the ingredients, as well as smaller containers for zest and chopped walnuts.

Source: Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 20 Jan 2021: https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2020/12/16/apple-pear-citrus-cake-recipe/

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