Apple Coffee Cake

Apple Coffee Cake

Shortening plus flour or baking spray for greasing pan

3 medium apples such as Golden Delicious, Gala, Braeburn or Empire

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, divided

2 cups sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

Apple Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch tube pan or spray with baking spray. Set aside.

Peel, core and chop the apples into small pieces. Place the apple pieces in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Fold into the sour cream mixture. Stir in the apples. Pour half of the batter into the prepared tube pan.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1 tablespoon cinnamon, brown sugar and pecans. Sprinkle over the batter in the pan. Cover with the remaining batter and smooth the top.

Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, while cake is still warm drizzle with apple glaze.

Apple Glaze

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 cup apple juice or cider

1/2 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, optional

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with a couple drops of the apple juice to make a smooth paste. Place the remaining apple juice in a small saucepan. Add the cornstarch mixture to the juice. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth. Stir in the apple juice concentrate and cinnamon. Remove from the heat. For a sweeter glaze, beat in the confectioners’ sugar if desired.

Cool slightly and spoon the glaze over the warm coffee cake.

Makes about 1 cup

Makes 20 servings.

From “Apple Cookbook” by Olwen Woodier