Fall is a perfect time to linger over a warm slice of coffee cake and a hot cup of coffee. But to keep this cake lighter we replaced some of the fat with fresh apples, making it moist and sweet with the same great taste that we remember.

YIELD: 10-12 servings

Recipe Development and Photography By: Williams-Raines

INGREDIENTS

Streusel Topping

  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 3 tablespoons canola or safflower oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Apple topping

  • 2 large baking apples such as Honeycrisp or SugarBee®, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Cake

  • 3/4 cup almond milk (or nut milk of your choice)
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup canola or safflower oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Powdered sugar for sprinkling on cake, optional

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 375, lightly grease an 8 inch square baking pan.
  2. Streusel topping; Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a bowl, add the oil and mix until you have moist crumbs. Add the pecans if using and toss together gently, set aside.
  3. Apple topping; combine the apples, sugar, and cinnamon in a separate bowl, mix well and set aside.
  4. Cake; In a medium bowl combine the vinegar and the almond milk, set aside to curdle while you mix the rest of the cake, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In the bowl with the almond milk, add the oil and vanilla, mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in the apples and pour the batter into the prepared pan, spread the streusel topping over the cake evenly. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick has moist crumbs on it, and the top is springy when touched.
  5. Let cool completely, dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.
  6. The cake can be stored, covered, at room temp for 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
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