Apple Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel
 
 
Makes 1 9" round cake
Ingredients
Streusel:
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup chopped toasted walnuts (see notes*)
  • ⅓ cup light or dark brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Cake:
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
  • 3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼"-thick slices
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup buttermilk (see notes**)
Glaze:
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Make the streusel:
  1. Melt the butter in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until well combined. Transfer to the freezer.
Make the cake:
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a fry pan over medium heat. Add apples and lemon zest and cook until lightly caramelized, 8-10 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9" springform pan with baking spray and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, stirring with a whisk.
  4. In a stand mixer, cream together the remaining butter and granulated sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. With the mixer on low speed, add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
  6. Transfer half of the batter to the prepared pan and smooth evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Arrange half of the apples in a single layer on top and then cover with the remaining batter. Arrange the remaining apples in a single layer on top and sprinkle the chilled streusel over the apples.
  7. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Let cool for 10 minutes and then remove ring and transfer cake to a wire rack.
Make the glaze:
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cinnamon and milk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
Notes
*To toast raw walnuts, cook them in a fry pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool and then chop.
**I rarely buy buttermilk because it's so easy to make with ingredients you likely have on hand. Just pour 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup and add enough milk to hit the 1-cup line. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes until curdled.
Recipe by Two of a Kind at http://www.twoofakindcooks.com/apple-coffee-cake-with-cinnamon-streusel/