Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
A breakfast (or anytime) celebration of autumn
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One of my favorite simple pleasures is a daily cup (or two) of dark, strong espresso roast. So, it delights me that there’s a whole category of cake created just to enhance the coffee-drinking experience. I created this apple cinnamon coffee cake to celebrate fall. The recipe calls for dairy, but non-dairy versions will work well.
Ingredients
- 6 1/2 tbsp organic unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
- 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 2/3 cup Sucanat
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 large apple such as Fuji, Gala or Braeburn (about 7.5 oz), peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/3 cups)
- 3 tbsp organic evaporated cane juice
- 1/4 cup full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with 1/2 tbsp butter and line base of pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat Sucanat and remaining 6 tbsp butter on medium until mixture is fluffy and begins to stick to sides of bowl, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
- Add 1 egg and beat on medium-low until just incorporated; repeat with other egg. Add one-third of flour mixture and beat on lowest speed just until combined. Add one-third of milk and beat on lowest speed just until combined. Repeat with two more additions of flour and two more additions of milk, alternating between the two.
- Stir in apples by hand.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and edges just begin to pull away from sides of pan, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto a plate and gently peel off parchment. Invert back onto wire rack so cake is right-side up; cool completely.
- Meanwhile, prepare glaze: In a small saucepan on medium, combine cane juice and 3 tbsp water; stir until cane juice dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a heat-proof container and cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on high, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy (this could also be done with a stand mixer). Add about one-quarter of cane juice mixture and beat until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining cane juice mixture in three more additions, beating until smooth each time.
- Pour glaze over cooled cake in long, diagonal ribbons, making a crosshatch pattern. (MAKE AHEAD: Cake keeps at room temperature in an airtight container up to 1 day. Make glaze and pour over cake just before serving or up to 2 hours ahead.)
Nutrition Information
- Calories 0
- Carbohydrate Content 0 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 0 g
- Fiber Content 0 g
- Protein Content 0 g
- Saturated Fat Content 0 g
- Sodium Content 0 mg
- Sugar Content 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 0 g