Fall apples: I picture the shiny apples of fairy tales, a long wind ruffling through the tree branches, crunchy leaves that break under my feet, and crisp clear night skies touched with notes of frosty bites that sting the skin. That’s my version of Fall as it weaves in and out of my memory.  I devote my hours housed in my baking kitchen atop a generous heap of various types of apples. I buy every color I can find at Walmart.  The tempting fruit spheres come in hues of the season: yellow, green, and red. Take your pick, my fine pretty, as they are super affordable.   What I make depends on my mood.  Once upon a time it could be a lovely apple tea, or happily ever after applesauce. If the witch’s broom touches down on the ground she might be in search for a candied apple. Perhaps if I bake an apple crisp I will attract every mouse, bear and rabbit to wait at my back door till I serve them each a scoop. I could make mountainous apple fritters that will serve as hiding places for the tiny sprites that live among the pines. Or maybe I should feed the little girl inside of me that is always chanting “apple coffee cake, apple coffee cake, apple coffee cake….” How could I ignore those precious wishes? I take whole grain flour and mix it with apples and other sweets for the most amazing tasty wholesome cake that just might wake me from my dream, because surely this is the cake of my dreams. Now just to figure out how to get the cake out of that darn tube pan.

Ingredients for whole grain apple coffee cake:

• For the topping: 3/4 – cups brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 – cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 – cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 – cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 – teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 – teaspoon sea salt
• 6 – tablespoons cold butter (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
• For the center: 1/4 – cup brown sugar
• 1 – cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 – teaspoon ground cinnamon
• For the cake: 2 – cups sugar
• 3 – eggs
• 1 – tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 – cups vegetable oil
• 1/4 – cup orange juice
• 3 – cups whole wheat flour
• 1 – teaspoon baking soda
• 2 – teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 – teaspoon salt
• 1/2 – teaspoon powdered ginger
• 3 – cups chopped apples (peeled and cored)(about 3 to 4 apples)
• 1 – cup shredded sweetened coconut
• For the icing: 1 – cup powdered sugar
• 4 – tablespoons Cacique’s crema Mexicana

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spray a tube pan with a non-stick baking spray. Set to the side.
3. For the topping: In a bowl combine brown sugar, pecans, oats, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, and salt. Mix with a fork to combine. Then using your fingers mash cold butter into dry mixture until it forms into little crumbs the size of peas. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
4. For the center: In a bowl mix brown sugar, pecan and cinnamon together. Set to the side until ready to use.
5. For the cake: In a mixer add in sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and orange juice. Mix to combine completely.
6. In a bowl sift whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and ground ginger together. Slowly add dry mixture to wet ingredients until combined.
7. Add in apples and coconut. Mix until completely combined.
8. Pour half of cake batter into greased tube pan.
9. Sprinkle center mixture into top of batter. 
10. Top center mixture with remaining batter.
11. Smooth the top of batter with a spatula, then top cake batter with topping reserved from the fridge.
12. Bake cake for an hour and a forty minutes.
13. Remove from oven and let cool on cooling rack until completely cooled. I like to let it cool over night. 
14. Remove cake from tube pan (see video below on how to remove cake from tube pan) and place on a cake stand. 
15. For the icing: Whisk powdered sugar and crema Mexicana together. Drizzle over the top of the cake and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. 
16. Enjoy! 

Watch this quick video on how to remove cake from tube pan!

Everyone is juicing these days, and I get it, it’s the new year and people are looking to be healthy and conscious of their vitamin consumption.  The other day after having a ginger- carrot-apple juice, I looked at the empty container and thought that these flavors would taste perfect in a cake.  Also, I could get my son to eat them and I could act like I’m thriving by eating a vitamin filled cake.  I added coconut and pecans to the equation and a “healthy” cake was born!

Enjoy!

Ingredients for Ginger Carrot Apple Cakes:

•  2 – cups sugar
• 3 – eggs
• 1 1/2 – cups vegetable oil
• 1/4 – cup carrot juice
• 1 – tablespoon ginger paste (or finely minced ginger)
• 1 – tablespoon vanilla
• 3 – cups flour
• 1 – teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 – teaspoon salt
• 1 – tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 – cups apple (peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces)
• 1 – cup shredded coconut
• 1 1/4 – cups grated carrot
• 1 – cup chopped pecans

Sauce:

• 1 – stick butter
• 1 1/4 – cups sugar
• 3/4 – cup buttermilk
• 3/4 – teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Spray a 2 cup capacity each mini bundt pan with a non stick baking spray. Set to the side.
3. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, carrot juice, ginger, and vanilla. Mix for 5 minutes until smooth.
4. Then add in flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon mix well.
5. Fold apples, coconut, carrots and pecans into batter. Mix until combined.
6. Pour 1 1/2 cups of  batter into each prepared bundt pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes.
7. About 10 minutes before the cake is done, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a small pot, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute.
8. Pour the sauce over the hot cake in the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven. 
9. Let stand 1 hour, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
10. ENJOY!