Perfect Weekend Apple Cardamom Coffee Cake

By: Phoebe Canakis

I’m not one to tell you how to enjoy your food -- this is a unique circumstance -- but I need you to act in your own best interest and enjoy this cake with your favorite hot beverage and good company while it’s still warm from the oven. That last bit is important, “while this cake is still warm from the oven.” Don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing on day two, but so good straight from the oven.

This is the perfect weekender, brunch day recipe. With pears and apples in season you can easily substitute either. I shared it as a vegan recipe, but if you prefer to do it all up with butter and eggs, by all means enjoy!
Okay now, hop to it! My husband can’t keep his hands off this cake. I wonder if he’d feel the same way if I served it with a salted caramel ice cream. Probably.

Apple Cardamom Crumb Cake

vegan with *non-vegan options marked with asterisk
Serves 12-16

Crumb Topping Ingredients:

1/2 cup organic spelt flour or whole wheat white flour
1/2 cup organic rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup raw, organic coconut oil/vegan butter, melted and cooled (*or butter)

Cake Ingredients:

2 1/2 organic cups spelt flour or whole wheat white flour
2/3 cup organic sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons orange zest
1/2 cup raw, organic coconut oil, melted and cooled (*or butter)
1/2 cup organic unsweetened applesauce (*or 2 medium eggs)
1 cup non-dairy milk (*or milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (5-6 ounces) chopped apple

Preparation:
Prepare the crumb topping by mixing the flour, oats, sugar, and oil until pea sized clumps form. Refrigerate while you prepare the cake.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and orange zest.
In a separate bowl, whisk the coconut oil, applesauce, milk, and vanilla extract.
Stir the coconut mixture into the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in the apples.
Spoon into a greased, 9-inch round spring form baking dish. Spread with the crumb topping.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Eat it warm!

All photos are courtesy of the author.

Phoebe Canakis

Flavorful and fresh food appeal is what Phoebe delivers. Her passion for local, whole foods is reflected in Phoebe's Pure Food Magazine™ and here at Plum Deluxe. From her on-line Pure Food Pantry™ or cooking demonstrations, Phoebe celebrates seasonally chic, seductively wholesome and garden-to-plate eats

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