Christmas is a time for sharing, spreading joy and passing around sweet treats.
Oxford residents Kenneth and Marian Horton wanted to do all three this holiday season by sharing a recipe for a delicious apple cake.
The recipe comes from the late Dorothy Dill, a longtime Oxford resident who enjoyed quite the reputation for her culinary skills.
‘She was one of the best cooks in town and a lot of people knew her for her baking and cooking,? Marian said. ‘She was such a wonderful person.?
Every year for about 15 years, Mrs. Dill, who lived at 117 S. Washington Street with her husband Glenn, would give her mail carrier, Kenneth, one of her scrumptious apple cakes around Christmas time.
Kenneth worked for the Oxford Post Office from 1962 until his retirement in 1985. He loved his customers dearly and all the ‘goodies? they gave him.
‘Most of my customers have gone on before me, but I’m sure they have their reward for being so good to their mail carrier,? Kenneth said.
The Hortons, who have been married for 60 years, enjoyed the cake so much they asked Mrs. Dill for a copy of the recipe. She happily obliged.
‘It was so good,? Marian said. ‘I make it every year at Christmas time. It has lots of nuts and apples.?
Feeling the recipe was just too wonderful to keep a secret, Marian called the Leader to see if we would be interested in publishing it so everyone can enjoy this delectable holiday treat.
Wouldn’t it be nice if some of our readers baked apple cakes for their mail carriers to continue Mrs. Dill’s tradition of kindness and goodwill?
Just a thought. and goodwill?
Just a thought.

Mrs. Dill’s Apple Cake
Ingredients:
2 cups white sugar 1tsp. salt
2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla
1? cups Crisco oil 1 tsp. cinnamon
3 c. raw apples chopped 1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup walnuts 3? cups sifted flour

Preparation:
Thoroughly grease one large cake pan or to create two layers, a bundt cake pan and regular round cake pan. Place parchment paper in the bottom of the pan(s) so the cake comes out easier.
Mix ingredients together adding chopped apples and nuts (candied fruit and/or raisins optional).

Baking:
If using one large cake pan, bake at 350 degrees for 1? hours.
If using two pans, bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Wait until the cake is completely cool before removing from pans. It crumbles easily.