Apple Crumb Cake

Hello and welcome to this weeks episode of Adventures In Baking.  I had a difficult time deciding which way to go with this weeks assignment of a cake, pie, or cupcake.  I was leaning toward a cake, but I just couldn't find a recipe that sounded good.  The recipe I decided upon is more along the lines of a coffee cake than a traditional tiered cake.  You can find the full recipe here

The ingredients.  Lots of cake bakin' goodness here plus an apple, yogurt and walnuts.  I couldn't find a small container of plain yogurt so I had to buy this gigantic tub.  Note to self:  Look up yogurt recipes.

Let's get started.  First up is the crumb topping.  Mix together butter, sugar, flour and salt until you get a crumbly mixture.  This took ForEver!!  I really began to think I did something wrong cause it wasn't combining into a crumble.  Turns out I wasn't patient enough.  Story of my life, LOL!

Next step.  Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and sit to the side.  Beat the butter and sugar until light.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Add the flour mixture and yogurt alternately.  Alternately?  What is the point of this?  I've seen it in several recipes and assume there's a reason, but I'm clueless (imagine that!) as to what's so special about adding it alternately.  This particular recipe even specifies that the alternating should begin and end with flour.  I'm gonna be a rebel and begin with flour and end with yogurt! .....nahhh..... I'm so not a rebel, haha.  Then mix in the diced apple. 

I have to tell you about this apple.  It doesn't have anything to do with the recipe, but it's a good story.  From the very second I picked up the paring knife, I flashed back to being in grade school, at my grandma's after school, and watching her peel and slice apples.  I can picture her standing at the sink, holding the knife with it's worn, dark brown handle, the red apple (it was always red, never green or yellow) and the peel that just got longer and longer as she progresssed around the apple.  It was a game.  Could she peel the entire apple without breaking the skin swirl. Of course she could do it.  Every. Single. Time.  I need to work on my apple peeling skillz.

Final step.  Pour it in a pan, smooth out the top and sprinkle the crumble on top.  Bake for 50-60 minutes.  I lined the bottom of the pan with parchment paper so it was super easy to lift right out after it cooled. 

Taste test.  Yep, this one's a winner.  I was a little concerned that I should have used a softer apple , but the Granny Smith is just the right texture. 

On the next episode of Adventures In Baking...... it's a bread or muffin.  I've been eyeing a lemon muffin recipe but I'm still looking.

Happy Baking

-Teddra