My grandfather died in April. He was 100.

The span of Philip Pines’s life is almost unfathomable, a century of service (World War II veteran, history teacher), family (father, grandfather and great-grandfather), worldwide travel and much, much more. His long life also meant he was around for almost all of mine until very recently. How many people can say they had their grandparents for well over 30 years?

That means the memories come easily and in great numbers. For me, a lot of them revolve around food: The vats of Friendly’s chocolate sprinkles Grandpa brought us when we were little, the meals at our favorite restaurants, the stories about what he ate in his youth (invariably, it always cost a nickel).

My grandfather and my grandmother were also passionate, talented bakers, so thankfully, there’s a collection of family recipes to hold dear. Years ago, I published their recipe for mandelbread, a crunchy Jewish cookie similar to biscotti. I also shared one savory dish here from my grandmother, reader favorite Wine-Braised Chicken With Mushrooms, so a few months ago, it felt time to see what else lay in my three-ring binder. Flipping through the recipes in Grandpa’s somewhat scratchy, slanting handwriting, I came across one that was a total mystery: Aunt Dora’s Fruit and Nut Cake. Who was Aunt Dora? And what was this recipe I had photocopied but never made or even tasted?

Alas, my mom and I had no idea who Dora was. I also had no idea that this was a favorite cake of my grandfather’s that he talked about even toward the end of his life. My mom remembered the cake but didn’t have the recipe – and didn’t know I did. The missed opportunity haunted me. I could have made this for him, and it would have made him so happy! Bittersweet as it was, I knew I had to try it.

Easier said than done. As is typical in family recipes, a few key details were missing. When does the oil in the ingredients get added to the batter? What pan is it baked in? And how long to bake it? The instructions say 1 hour, but an annotation at the top says “bake longer 9/81.” (An hour turned out to be perfect.) The recipe was similar to another family favorite cake, so I did what I knew and hoped for the best.

I uncovered a treasure I didn’t know I had. Loaded with shredded apple and pear that melt into the batter, packed with citrus (zest and pureed flesh) and studded with nuts, the cake was a winner. Thanks to the oil – it’s dairy-free – and fruit, the crumb is plush and tender, something like a cross between banana and zucchini breads. It’s homey and nostalgic, the kind of old-fashioned treat many of us associate with grandparents. While there’s some busy work involved in prepping the fruit, it’s simple and straightforward, and the batter can be stirred together by hand. The towering Bundt is a beautiful thing to behold, though you can also make it in a 9-by-13-inch pan. All the cake needs at the end is a dusting of confectioners’ sugar for an easy touch of elegance.

It was no mystery why my grandfather loved it. Now future generations will, too.

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Apple and Pear Cake With Citrus and Nuts

Active time: 55 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 55 minutes

12 to 14 servings (makes one 10-inch Bundt cake)

3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 lemon

1 medium orange

2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar

4 large eggs

3/4 cup (180 milliliters) vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large apples (about 20 ounces/560 grams total), peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater, excess liquid squeezed out

1 ripe pear, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater, excess liquid squeezed out

1 cup (100 grams) finely chopped nuts, such as pecans and walnuts

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Coat a large (10- to 15-cup) Bundt pan with baking spray, or grease thoroughly with a thin layer of vegetable oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Remove the zest from the lemon and orange using a rasp-style grater, such as a Microplane. You should have about 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon orange zest (don’t get hung up on the exact amounts). Peel and discard the remaining skin from the fruit. Coarsely chop the flesh, removing any seeds. Using an immersion blender or traditional blender, puree the flesh of the fruits together until completely broken down. Reserve 1/2 cup of the puree and discard or repurpose the rest, such as stirring it into sparkling water.

Transfer the lemon and orange zests to a large bowl along with the granulated sugar and rub together with your fingers until the sugar is moistened and fragrant. Add the eggs, oil and vanilla extract and beat vigorously with a whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Using about a third of each, whisk in the flour mixture and 1/2 cup pureed fruit in three alternating additions, beating well after each. Once the batter thickens, you can switch to a wooden spoon or flexible spatula for easier stirring. Stir in the grated apple, pear and the chopped nuts. Pour the batter into the pan, smoothing out the top. Bake for 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let rest for 10 minutes. Use a small, flexible spatula or a round-edged knife to loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and then turn onto the rack. Let the cake cool completely, then store or cut and serve, dusting with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

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