Maw Maw's Fresh Apple Cake Recipe

This fresh apple cake is made with fresh apple pieces, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pecans. The fresh fruit intensifies the cake's moisture and flavor after a few days of baking.

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Maw Maw's Fresh Apple Cake is my Cajun grandmother's signature dessert. She often made it using fresh apples, pecans from her orchard, and warm spices. It's easy to prepare and can be made in advance to save time. Perfect for weekend entertaining.

Taking this old-fashioned fresh apple cake to family gatherings quickly brings back memories of our sweet Mawmaw Trahan. She was not just a good cook but always a gracious hostess. We all remember enjoying a piece of her cake after Sunday dinners or an afternoon visit to her home, with a cup of her strong, drip Community Coffee, made in the classic Cajun style.

Another signature recipe from my grandmother is Noelie's Pecan Pralines, Homemade Cajun Candy. They have a nutty, caramel-melt-in-your-mouth taste. Perfect for holiday candy-making!

This Paper Bag French Apple Pie, Baked In The Oven, has a sweet, crunchy topping that is evenly browned. The filling is tender and juicy, too, thanks to the sealed bag in the oven. There's less mess, too!

My Maw Maw

Noelie LeMaire Trahan was born in 1909, the third of 4 children in Vermilion Parish, just south of Kaplan, Louisiana. It was a time when families lived with a deep dependence on the land and on each other. At the age of four, a contagious fever had taken the lives of both her parents within a few weeks of each other. She and her siblings then moved in with their grandparents.

For some reason, she only finished the third grade, yet never seemed a woman of little education. She mainly spoke Cajun French. I can still hear her words in broken English, the new language she learned from her children after they began grade school.

"Cher, Bon Dieu" was one of the French phrases she said aloud. It was used when she had heard surprising news, if one of us had fallen and hurt ourselves, or if she decided to make a wise call and not swear. It means, "Dear, good God!" She said it often.

At the age of sixty-one, she faced another loss from the death of her husband. Even though she grieved deeply from these tragedies and hardships, they didn't seem to mark her life negatively. Instead, she left a mark on others with her upright character and nurturing love. A legacy I appreciate every day.

Her Fresh Apple Cake

Noelie was my momma's momma, and visiting her home and yard was like walking into the pages of Southern Living or Better Homes and Gardens. Her meals were always delicious and visually appealing. We experienced them on many Sundays and at holiday meals year after year, where she enjoyed the gathering of her four children and their families. A tradition she has passed on to me. 

Mawmaw was always busy. I never knew her to stop her work unless it was to watch her favorite daytime soap opera or to visit with a drop-in guest. Then she'd make a strong drip pot of Community Coffee and serve it in small demitasse cups. Small because that's all one needed of her potent brew.

She may have even served her signature cake with it. I still use the faded, handwritten fresh apple cake recipe that she gave me. It's framed in my kitchen for quick access when the need for that cake arises. I usually make it for bereaving families in our community. When my husband smells this fresh apple cake baking, he always asks, "Who died?"

How To Make A Fresh Apple Cake?

It's so easy! Like most cakes, first you cream the sugar, eggs, and oil. Then combine the flour with the rest of the dry ingredients and add it slowly to the egg mixture.

This makes a stiff batter, but it will soften some when the apples are added. The pecans add a nutty bite to the sweet and spicy apple flavor. It's not too sweet, making it perfect for breakfast.

Mawmaw's Fresh Apple Cake gets better with age and keeps well. After a few days, the apples release moisture, and the flavors intensify. It's a good idea to bake it midweek before weekend guests arrive at your door. You can store it in the refrigerator or freeze it to keep it even longer, but I seldom get to do that.

I hope you try it soon and find yourself saying, "Cher Bon Dieu!" or "Dear good God!" (if your French isn't that good) because this fresh apple cake is fantastic!

More Recipes From My Maw Maw At Louisiana Woman!

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"Successful mothers are not the ones who have never struggled. They are the ones who never give up, despite the struggles."

Sharon Jaynes