Friday, October 16, 2009

Humble Apple Cake Recipe--Kicked Up A Notch

I thought that I'd play around with this Humble Apple Cake I found in our local Community Mercantile (natural health foods store) newsletter that comes out monthly.  While I originally thought the cake looked pretty good and healthy to boot when I first glanced at it, AND IT IS, I couldn't help myself and really kick this up.

Humble Apple Cake, adapted from Nancy O'Connor's Rolling Prairie Cookbook (1998)

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Yep, pretty humble, I'd say.  I made a few changes from the original recipe.  It called for honey.  I used agave nectar.  I made homemade buttermilk (adding some lemon juice to 2% milk and let sit for 5 minutes) and I added some cinnamon.  I was rather surprised this apple cake didn't have cinnamon!  Humble.  But I was excited to try it as it was healthy and low fat with whole wheat pastry flour, no refined sugar, a minimal amount of oil and only egg whites. 

The cake is cakey.  Duh.  And it's apple-y.  Duh.  Oh, it's also a little nutty.  There's walnuts.  But it just wasn't enough.  Hmmm.  What could I do? (Smiling and smirking to myself, I knew exactly what I was going to do.

Wanna see?

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Caramel.  But, hmmm?  Is that enough?  Of course not.  It's me talkin' here.  What would I normally do to something?  Anyone?  Anyone?  Ice. Scream.  Yeah, that's it!

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Or in this case, I used a fat free frozen yogurt--you know, to stick with the "healthy" theme of this dessert.  It was also a fat free caramel ice cream topping, if that matters.  This was really good--and there wasn't even chocolate in it! ;)

Humble Apple Cake, with caramel topping and frozen yogurt, adapted by Katrina from Nancy O'Connor's "Rolling Prairie Cookbook"

6 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup agave nectar (honey or even sugar would work)

2 large egg whites (or 1 whole egg)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup 2% milk and 1 teaspoon lemon juice (sit for 5 minutes to make homemade buttermilk)

1  3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or a combination of whole wheat and all purpose flour)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1  1/2 cups apples, unpeeled and chopped to 1/4 inch dice (I used 1 Granny Smith and 1 Golden Delicious--any kind is fine)

2/3 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9x13 inch pan with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.  (Or just spray the pan--I like foil for easy release!)  (The original recipe said to use a 7 1/2 x 12 inch pan, 9x13 worked fine!)

Whisk together the oil and agave (or honey/sugar).  Add egg whites, vanilla and buttermilk.  Whisk together well.  Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Mix in to wet ingredients.  Stir in apples and nuts.  Spread batter evenly in pan and bake for 25 minutes.  Let cool on wire rack.  Remove from pan using foil edges.  Cut into desired size slices.  Serve with warm caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt!  Mmm!

23 comments:

Maria said...

This is my kind of cake! I love the kicked up version!

Clumbsy Cookie said...

You did the right thing Katrina! I'm so proud of you, ahahah! Caramel and ice-cream is the way to go ;)

Gourmified said...

That looks fantastic! I was drooling while staring at your fantastic photos....MMm!

Megan said...

Where's the chocolate?

I'm waiting.

Anonymous said...

YUM. It's kicked up more than a notch. I would 10 notches at least. :P

Lisa Ernst said...

This reminds me of when I make apple pie or crisp. Now way am I going to leave the ice cream off! It just wouldn't be the same....

noble pig said...

This is hardly humble, it's awesome!!!!!!!!!!!

♥peachkins♥ said...

I like this humble apple cake!!!

Lisa said...

There is nothing HUMBLE about that moist, delicious hunk of 'appley' love with frozen yogurt and FAT FREE caramel drizzle! My god, it looks so fatty, and I mean that in a good way! Is there anything you make that isn't mouth watering!!???!!! I have to come visit you some day..lol

Megan said...

Looks like a perfect Fall dessert all kicked up! :)

Jennifer B said...

Ohhhh my god, that looks incredible!

Leslie said...

The cake looked good. With the caramel, great. With the caramel and the ice cream, it could stop traffic.

RecipeGirl said...

Great way to kick that up. I'll bet cinnamon chips might have been good in there too. I'm addicted to those things!

Eliana said...

Man oh man Katrina. This looks AMAZING!!!!!

Donna-FFW said...

Oh yes, you speak my language so clearly.

CindyD said...

Did you see Baking Bites today? She posted a review of a book on baking with agave nectar.

Katrina said...

CindyD--I have that book. So far, I like it. Haven't made too many things from it. Thanks for the heads up on BB, I like Nicole's opinions and hadn't seen her latest post yet.

Anonymous said...

Ha! We were members of the Rolling Prairie CSA in 1998 when I was in law school in Lawrence. They used to give you recipes with the bags every week.
That caramel is to die for!

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