Now that Wade’s time in the restaurant has ended, I feel like we’re perpetually on vacation. Despite all the uncertainty and fear in the world right now, this spring has gifted us with something more valuable than we could have ever imagined: time. Specifically, time together. Wade’s work schedule was grueling even on a good day, and after a long, stressful shift slinging pans, he couldn’t ever sit still or relax. He’d bounce from project to project in the limited time he had away from the kitchen, trying to finish one thing after another as his mind raced from the adrenaline he still had pumping through him. We would rush through beautiful meals while I fell asleep sitting up at the kitchen table because he got home so late.

Now, the streets in our small town are quiet when I get home from work, and dinner is usually almost done. The house is freshly painted and the vegetable garden is doing better than it ever has. We eat early, and we get to take our time. And some nights, we even make dessert after dinner. This change of pace is a luxury I cannot put into words. Dessert is an indulgence already, but what is sweeter is that we have the option, and the energy to enjoy it.

Wade’s been stretching his wings a little in the baking department, and of all the things he’s made recently, this might be my favorite. It’s dense and rich without being overwhelming, the cinnamon isn’t overpowering, and the cake is sweet without being cloying. And the beaver fat really does well in this recipe. The more we experiment with using wild fats, the more blown away we are by how well they perform in baked goods. The beaver fat, in particular, has really stood out to us for its versatility and mild flavor. It’s most similar in flavor and texture to pork lard, and we’ve been using it in a 1:1 ratio for all kinds of things. If you don’t have beaver fat on hand, use deer fat or butter instead. We’ve made this recipe with all the above, and it always turns out great.

Beaver Fat Apple Cake

Cook time: 20 minutes active, 45 minutes inactive

Ingredients:

Cake-

½ cup beaver lard, room temperature

1 ½ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 ½ cups apples, peeled, diced

Crumble topping-

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup all purpose flour

½ cup rolled oats

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ cup beaver lard

Method:

For cake:

Preheat oven to 350F and grease 9x9 baking pan/pyrex dish.

Using a stand mixer, cream lard and brown sugar together until smooth. Add in 1 egg at a time until incorporated. Sift all dry ingredients together in a bowl and add slowly to the creamed mixture. Add in sour cream and vanilla. Add in apples, mixing until just combined. 

Pour the cake mixture into the greased pan. Top with crumble mixture.

For Crumble:

Combine all ingredients and mix with a fork until clumpy. 

Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center of cake comes out clean.