AP Cake, A PA Dutch Recipe

"AP Cake"

A couple of years back, I had a blog project named “Cooking Through Family”. You can check out the recipes I made on the labels tab of the same name on the front of my blog page. I made about 85% of my Mom’s, Dad’s family, and Mom’s family recipes learning about my family as I went through each recipe, remembering our fun time, etc. The only ones I did not make were the baking ones which included the cakes, cookies, bars and pies. 

The Clutzy Baker

I don't know why but I've always had an unnatural fear of baking but it always seemed so scientific. Now I am not talking about the Betty Crocker box cakes, brownie mixes, or chocolate chip cookie dough "rolls". I am talking about baking from scratch. Almost anyone can spoon out cookie dough and shove it in the oven for 30 minutes. 

In school, I’ve always been better with the arts, literary and history classes rather than sciences or mathematics. I always meant to get back to the baking recipes and I think this year will be that “baking” year! But I wanted to start with something easy.

Instead of choosing one of my Mom’s recipes for this time, I gravitated to the Big Ragu’s Mom’s recipe for a breakfast cake called AP cake. Unfortunately, I could not find his Mom's original recipe but I was able to find a similar one online. AP Cake is a Pennsylvania Dutch or maybe more specifically, an Amish recipe. I was always taught that the AP stands for all-purpose flour. Although I have see the AP stand for "A Plain Cake". Often though you will see the name spelled out as Aipee or Aappee Cake. Either way, it's a yummy and easy recipe.

Ready to go! 

It was a perfect recipe for a first time baker such as myself. I have provided the safe and secure recipe link below. It calls for 8 ingredients which should be in every kitchen if you have a pretty well stocked kitchen. You get pick up the rest at any supermarket. None of it is expensive or hard to find as you'll see.

I already had every ingredient except the baking powder which of course I once had but gave it all to my stepmum Diane because I figured I would NEVER use it. A quick run over to her and my stepdad Barry’s place, and a couple downed beers later by yours truly, I was carrying out a small Ziploc of pure white baking powder. We clearly labeled it as baking powder lest one think I was peddling drugs in my community. 

 

While hunting and researching, I found that there can be many variations to the AP cake recipe. Variations include butter on top, adding walnuts, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, using Crisco instead of butter, adding raisins, adding  a pinch of salt, mixing a couple items separately and then adding them, or mixing altogether. Check out the variations by doing a simple Google search on AP Cake. 

Some articles on state that it originally hails from Berks County as a "breakfast delicacy," specifically the Oley Valley region (where ironically I lived in for 7 years) although I found many other articles stating it came from the Lancaster County Amish.

AP Cake cooling off!

AP Cake makes a tasty breakfast cake which serves as a solid slightly sweeter alternative to your morning coffee cake. Adding the sugar on top gives it a bit more sweetness and hardness the top to a nice crust. When enjoying, add some butter or dunk in coffee! The nice thing about AP Cake is that it will last the week if kept covered and in a cool place. It may get a little harder over the week but then just dunk in coffee. 😎

Here is the original link for the recipe: 

https://cookpad.com/us/recipes/454808-ap-cake

Here is another recipe with more ingredients: 

https://www.mrfood.com/Cakes/Apea-Cake-3266

AP Cake

INGREDIENTS: 

1/2 cup butter

2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup brown sugar (I used light)

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

Refined white sugar

STEPS:

Mix all ingredients together until completely blended.

Pour into a parchment lined 9 inch round pan (I opted to use butter cooking spray).

Sprinkle while sugar over the top of the uncooked cake (This helps create the sweet crust).

Bake at 350' for 40-45 minutes (I baked mine at 45 minutes).

Allow to cool completely before enjoying!

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