Apple Cinnamon Cake

 It's that season here in the Northeast U.S. when apple cake recipes are as ubiquitous as falling leaves, but of all the apple cake recipes I've baked and eaten, this one (from The Sweetest Menu) takes top billing. It's hard to resist that crunchy swirl of cinnamon/sugar/butter that permeates the flavorful cake with its moist, tender crumb. There's no butter in the batter, only vegetable oil and Greek yogurt. You don't even need a mixer -- a wooden spoon and bowl will do. Drizzle with a little confectioner's sugar glaze to make it even more delicious. It's great at room temperature but divine eaten a little bit warm.

Place the dollops of cinnamon sugar on top and swirl a bit with a knife or spoon to incorporate.

The heavenly aroma wafting throughout the house will draw everyone to the kitchen.

It will be hard to resist digging in but if you don't want the confectioner's sugar glaze to melt, don't apply it hot from the oven. Wait a wee bit till it has cooled off somewhat. I'll be making this on repeat all fall. I hope you will too.

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Apple Cinnamon Cake

(From "The Sweetest Menu"

Ingredients

Apple cake

• 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 150 grams (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
•  2 large apples, peeled and roughly chopped, mixed with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) Greek yogurt

Cinnamon topping

• 50 grams (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Sugar glaze

• 30 grams (1/4 cup) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
• 1–2 tablespoons milk

• Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Grease and flour an 8 1/2" springform pan.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add chopped apples mixture and stir briefly to combine.
  3. In a separate bowl, add eggs, vanilla, oil and yogurt. Whisk briefly just to break up the egg yolks.
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and gently mix with a wooden spoon until combined – but be careful not to over mix. Spoon batter into prepared tin.
  5. To make cinnamon topping, combine cinnamon, sugar and butter. Mix together until lumpy and wet. Sprinkle over cake batter and using a spoon, mix lightly into batteer.
  6. Bake cake for approximately 30-35 minutes (mine took more like 40-45 minutes) or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. To make the glaze, mix together sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk. Stir until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add an extra tablespoon of milk. Drizzle glaze all over the cake.