Apples, Coffee, and Betty Crocker

Dear Bunhead, I miss you. Just like the last time I went on an involuntary blogging hiatus, here I am again---months of abandoning the kitchen for real life and now, I'm eagerly attempting my return. The fall is here and I just could not resist. 

My dad's birthday happens to fall in September and I had my first opportunity to get back in the kitchen. My first thought was to start with apples, since my dad can't get enough of my mom's famous apple pie. Since my mom was a little busy planning the dinner we'd be making him, I volunteered to make the birthday dessert.

So obviously, my dad likes apples. And cinnamon, of course. And instead of attempting to recreate my mom's pie without her assistance in executing her secrets, I immediately remembered a cake I had made in my initial post-college baking extravaganza--- the Apple Upside Down Streusel Coffee Cake. No combination of words have ever sounded better together. My dad and I also share a love of coffee, so I knew any kind of treat that would marry perfectly with our caffeine addiction would be the perfect choice. 

This cake is unbelievable. The combination of streusel and the baked apples (that have bathed in butter and brown sugar, might I add) puts the average coffee cake to shame. And its a classic---I found this recipe a few years ago in my mom's Betty Crocker Cookbook from 1987 (5th Edition). I couldn't pass it up when I first came across the recipe and I knew it would be perfect for this occasion, especially with my coffee the next morning!

Apple Upside Down Streusel Coffee Cake  
adapted from Betty Crocker 

Streussel

• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
• 3 tbsp firm butter

Mix all ingredients until crumbly. Set aside. 

Apples

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar 
• 2 medium apples, thinly sliced 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. While preheating, heat butter in 9x9x2 in pan until melted. Sprinkle with brown sugar and arrange apples in pan. Make sure the sides of the pan are greased.

Coffee Cake 

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar 
• 3 tsp baking powder (omit if using self rising flour)
• 1 tsp salt (omit if using self rising flour)
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup milk (I used vanilla soy milk for some extra flavor)

Make sure oven is heated to 350 degrees and that streusel and apples are prepared. Beat remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl, or stand mixer, low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed, scraping the bowl occasionally, for 2 minutes. Spread half of the batter in the pan on top of the apples, sprinkle with half of the streusel, top with remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining streusel. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Immediately invert the pan on a heat proof serving plate. Let pan remain a minute for drizzle from the apples. Eat with coffee or tea, or by itself, & enjoy! 

all photos © Bunhead in the Kitchen, 2012

For the Love of Fall

As much as I love the summertime, there are two upsides to it ending. One being the fact that I get to pull out my scarves and my boots... and the other being the fact that I can finally do some fall baking. It's my absolute favorite. In my opinion, nothing is better than apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin, cranberry, pear, and pretty much every fall ingredient imaginable. So, as soon as I got the opportunity, I went out and bought some fresh apples for my first fall baking adventure. Apples seemed like a good place to start. I'd been eyeing up a handful of different recipes, but the Caramel Glazed Apple Bread seemed to be the one that I kept coming back to. I took my first free moment on a Saturday afternoon to whip up two loaves and I'm already trying to clear a few more hours in my schedule to make more. It's delicious for dessert, for a quick snack, or even toasted in the morning with some butter slathered on it. The freshly shredded apples make it unbelievably moist and the hint of cinnamon and nutmeg just round out the flavors of the fall. Especially when it's warm. It's the absolute epitome of a fall bread.

And that caramel glaze.... oh my gosh. It's to die for. It just completes this recipe. I had never made caramel from scratch before, so that whole process was new to me and luckily, it came out perfectly! I could have eaten it straight out of the pot from the stove (...and I'm not going to lie, but I may or may not have taste tested it right from the stove...a few too many times!) And although I'm not the biggest nut fan, I do have to admit that the chopped pecans were just the cherry to top it all off.

Although I wasn't able to take pictures, I do need to share that I already had a second fall baking adventure with a friend of mine. I waste no time taking advantage of this season. We baked them at her house and unfortunately, I forgot my camera (which is very much unlike me... I usually bring that thing everywhere!) We made pumpkin butterscotch cookies and they were so incredibly delicious that the flavor combination inspired me to turn that recipe into an ice cream recipe. The combination of pumpkin, cinnamon, and butterscotch would probably make the most delicious fall-themed ice cream and once I tackle it, I will be sure to post some pictures...and the recipe of course. And for those cookies... I will probably be making them again shortly, so no worries, I will post that recipe as well!

I really love this time of year and I especially cannot wait to go to a farmers market to pick some fresh apples and pumpkin. So be sure to stay tuned because I can assure you that there will be PLENTY more where this came from.

Caramel Glazed Apple Bread

adapted from passthesushi.com

Apple Bread:

• 1 1/2 cups shredded peeled baking apples (2 large..I used Granny Smith)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (see previous post to learn how to make your own!)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tea spoons bak­ing soda
• 2 tea spoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tea spoon salt
• 1 tea spoon ground nutmeg

Caramel Glaze:

• 2 table spoons butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray or shortening.

In a large bowl, stir together shredded apples, 1 cup brown sugar, buttermilk, oil and eggs. Stir in remaining bread ingredients just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour into the 2 loaf pans.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 min­utes on cooling rack. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool completely (about 1 hour).

In 1-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat to low. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling; remove from heat. Cool to luke warm, about 30 minutes.

Gradually stir powdered sugar into glaze mixture. Place saucepan of glaze in bowl of cold water. Beat with spoon until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. If glaze becomes too stiff, stir in addi tional milk, 1/2 tea spoon at a time, or heat over low heat, stirring constantly (I had to add quite a bit of milk, so don't be concerned if it becomes too stiff). Drizzle glaze over loaves and sprinkle extra pecans on top.

Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

all photos © Bunhead in the Kitchen, 2010