“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”

Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping & Brown Sugar Glaze





On the morning before I left to pack up and go back to San Francisco, I wanted to bake one final thing for my family. For me, apples were this summer’s go to home-grown fruit from Dad’s grove. Of course, things always taste a little bit sweeter when they are mixed in the bowl of my mom’s thirty year-old KitchenAid mixer. As a thank you for the coffee and the cake, Dad gave me two records from his coveted collection: The Yardbirds and Fleetwood Mac. Fair trade, I would say :)
Ingredients:

Cake:
1 stick plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups peeled and chopped apples

Crumble Topping:
1/2 brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teasoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Brown Sugar Glaze:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a glass baking dish with 2 teaspoons butter. In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar. Add the eggs 1 at a time. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, along with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the baking dish.

To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon , and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.
To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.
Serve with coffee or tea and a big smile on your face.

Cheers!
-Bay