dnsyl57: Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Autumn is here and so are the fresh crop of apples! Today, I'm sharing my recipe for "Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake"! There are countless recipes for apple coffee cakes on the internet. This recipe is based on a blueberry coffee cake from Mennonite Girls Can Cook.

The basic cake batter is pretty much the same - with a few changes. Obviously, I swapped out the blueberries for diced apples. (I used Royal Gala). I also added some chocolate chips! (duh!) I prefer using a combo of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour but if you only have all purpose that will work fine. At about $5-6/pound, I can't afford butter, so use a good quality block margarine such as Imperial or Parkay in my baking. The MGCC recipe made the cake in a 9"x13"x2" pan but I tend to favour using 2 8" or 9" round pans. I find they bake more evenly than a large pan. With a bit of pan prep, the cakes can be removed to a serving plate and also wrapped for freezing. The original recipe also called for a layered assembly method of half batter, fruit. half topping, remaining batter and remainder of topping. Personally, I like my fruit mixed into the batter rather than a separate layer. The separate layer tends to get a bit soggy if the entire cake isn't devoured the same day.

For the topping, I used my own recipe which is light on cinnamon as I don't care for an overwhelming taste of it in my food. You can add a bit more if you prefer. My topping also includes toasted almonds and finely chopped chocolate!

As always, I took samples to some of my friends and they thought it was great!

This cake is moist, flavourful and great anytime of the year but there is something about baking with apples in the fall that just feels right and is oh, SO delicious!

Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons cold butter or block margarine

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate (semi sweet or dark)
3/4 cup finely chopped almonds, toasted

Cake:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup unsalted butter or block margarine at room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream (I used light)

1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)

2 cups diced apples (peel and seed before dicing) (I used Royal Gala)

3/4 cup semi sweet or dark chocolate chips

Toasting Almonds:

Preheat oven to 350F. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a rimmed cookie sheet and then spread the chopped almonds in a single layer. Toast in the oven for about 5 - 7 minutes making sure to stir at least once or twice during that time. The almonds will take on a strong nutty aroma and turn a darker shade of brown. Watch them carefully though as they can go from perfectly toasted to burnt in a minute! Remove pan to a cooling rack and cool to room temp while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

For Topping:

Combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Add the cold butter/margarine and mix with a fork till fine crumbly mixture. Add in the cooled almonds and chocolate. Stir to combine. Set aside.

For Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare 2 8 or 9 inch round cake pans by spraying with non stick cooking spray. Then place 2 strips of parchment paper (about 1 1/2 - 2 inches wide) in an X shape, pressing down along the bottom and up the sides - allowing about an inch or two to hang over the top edge at each end. Place a circle of parchment over the X and press down to line the bottom of the pan. Note: To make the parchment circles, place the pan on top of the parchment and use a pen or marker to trace around the outside of the bottom of the pan. Then using the marked line as a guide, use scissors to cut out the circle. Repeat for second pan. Set prepared pans aside. (Note: I've tried this with wax paper but it isn't as strong as parchment so tends to tear when you attempt to lift the cake out of the pans after baking and cooling.)

Combine the flours, baking powder, salt, and soda in medium bowl. Set aside/

Using an electric mixer beat butter/margarine in large bowl till fluffy.

Add both sugars and beat until blended.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg.

Add lemon zest and vanilla and combine.

In a glass measuring cup, measure the 1/2 cup milk then add the 1/2 cup sour cream to make 1 cup. Stir to combine. If you don't have a glass measure, you can blend the two ingredients in a small bowl.

Beat the flour mixture and the milk/sour cream mixture alternately into the butter/margarine mixture - beginning and ending with the flour mixture. This doesn't have to be exact. Just add about 1/3 of the flour mix and mix in. Then add about 1/2 of the milk/sour cream mix and mix in. Repeat with the flour, then the last of the milk/sour cream and the last of the flour.

Stir in the chopped apples and the chocolate chips till well combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and level it out evenly with the back of a spoon or fork. Pans will be pretty much full but not overflowing!

Sprinkle half the topping mix on top of each pan. With the back of a clean fork or spoon, gently press the topping down but do not stir it in!

Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until toothpick test comes out clean.

Cool on wire racks for at least 2 hours before attempting to lift cakes from the pans. The more the cakes have cooled, the easier it will be to remove them without them breaking apart. Once the cakes have completely cooled, they could even be covered and put in the fridge to set more firmly before removal from pan. When you are ready to remove the cakes from the pans, run a knife around the edge between the cake and the pan to ensure it isn't stuck. Gently lift two opposite edges of the parchment to loosen. Then repeat with the other two opposite pieces. When you are sure the cake is not stuck, carefully and gently, lift the cake out of the pan, removing parchment and transferring to a serving plate.

Each cake can be cut into 8 pieces. Total Yield: 16 servings