Comfort food–when flavors and aromas remind us of home and simpler times. One comfort food for me is apple streusel cake—and it is just the cake to share with friends and neighbors. The aroma as it bakes is guaranteed to fight off howling winds and the inviting flavor seems to erase the stress of the day.
Each of us enjoy different comfort foods. This one, for me, comes from the fact that my dad always talked of Dutch apple cake. Sadly, the recipe did not make it down through the generations and as age erased the clarity of his thoughts, Dutch apple cake became anything with apples and a streusel topping. Yet, he might have been on to something, for my research revealed that Dutch apple cake means something different to almost every cook–some referring to a butter cake and some referring to a yeast dough.
No matter the kind of cake, the universal truth for me is that a warm taste of this old-fashioned cake is the perfect winter food. Pour a cup of coffee and linger over a piece while sharing news and laughter with your best friends. Or bake one and deliver freshly cut pieces to a friend that need a little cheering—or to one that is moving and need a respite in her busy day. Bake one today and savor every bite. You deserve it.
Apple Streusel Coffee Cake
Apple topping:
3 tart cooking apples, such as Braebaum, Jonathan or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (3 cups sliced)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
Streusel topping:
3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Cake:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Dash salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.
Apple topping: In a small bowl, toss together apple slices, lemon juice and sugar. Set aside.
Streusel topping: In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter with pastry cutter or two knives until mixture resembles coarse, even crumbs. Stir in walnuts. Set aside.
Cake: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat together butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Alternately beat in flour mixture and sour cream, making three additions of flour and two of sour cream, and beating until cake batter is just smooth and flour is incorporated.
Spoon cake batter into prepared pan. Arrange apple slices evenly over the cake, overlapping slightly if necessary. Sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown, apples are tender and toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Allow to stand 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into serving pieces and serve warm.
Makes 6 to 9 servings.
Tips
Toasting the walnuts intensifies their flavor. To toast them, spread in a baking pan and bake at 350° F. for 6 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted.
For attractive serving, line the baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing ends to extend over the edges of the pan. Spray foil with nonstick spray coating. Fill pan and bake as directed. Allow to stand 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully, using edges of foil as handles, lift the cake from the pan and set on work surface. Fold edges of foil down away from the cake. Cut cake into wedges and using a spatula lift each piece off of the foil.
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