CAKES - OLD-FASHIONED CRUMB COFFEE CAKE

Apples

2 medium-large Granny Smith apples

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons sugar

Cake Batter

1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs

2 cups (10 oz./283 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7 7/8 oz /223 g) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks/142 g) unsalted butter, softened but still cool

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¾ cup buttermilk or low-fat plain yogurt, at room temperature

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crumbs

¾ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped fine

½ cup packed (3 ½ oz/100 g) dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

THE APPLES

Peel, core, and dice the apples into ¼-inch (2/3 cm) dice.  Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch skillet  (preferably nonstick) over high heat until golden.  Add the apples, cover, and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until they are dry and very tender, 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat, sprinkle the apples with 2 tablespoons sugar, and lightly toss until glazed.

THE BATTER

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350F (177C).  Generously grease the bottom and lightly grease the sides of a 10-inch springform pan.   Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with the bread crumbs, and then shake lightly to coat.  Tap out excess crumbs.

Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl until blended.  Add the butter and cut in with the whisk until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remove 1 cup of the flour mixture to a separate bowl and set aside to make the crumbs.

Whisk 1 teaspoon cinnamon, the baking powder and baking soda into the flour mixture remaining in the mixing bowl.  Add the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla; whisk vigorously until the batter is thick, smooth, fluffy, and frosting-like, 1 ½ to 2 minutes.  Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. 

THE CRUMBS

Add the nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon to the reserved crumbs of flour, sugar, and butter; toss with a fork or your hands until blended.  Sprinkle the crumbs over the batter, pressing lightly so that they adhere.  Bake the cake until the center is firm and a cake tester comes out clean, 50 to 5 5minutes.  Transfer the cake to a wire rack; remove the sides of the pan.  Let the cake cool completely, about 2 hours, before serving.  When completely cooled, the cake can be slid off the pan bottom onto a serving plate. 

MY NOTE:  I have made this recipe with sour cream instead of yogurt or buttermilk and it is also very good.

From Baking Illustrated by The Editors of Cook’s Illustrated Magazine.