apple cake

Last spring, I made a traditional apple cake. Although it was pretty tasty, it was also little greasy given the amount of butter called for in the recipe. This apple cake uses Greek yogurt instead of butter or oil, making it amazingly moist, dense, and delicious.

Yield: 1 cake
135 calories per slice, if cut into 16 slices
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 75 minutes

ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 apples, diced

preparation
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. In your stand mixer bowl, cream the sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.

3. Add in the yogurt, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, mixing on a speed of 4 until very well combined.

4. Add in the flour and apples, continuing to stir on a speed of 2 until well blended.

5. Pour into a well greased pan and bake until dark brown and when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. This cake is very, very dense so a toothpick may come out cleanly even though the cake isn't cooked through. Another method is to gently press on the top of the cake. If it springs back, it's ready.

6. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Other modifications:

• Bringing the cake to a holiday party? Separate the batter into two 8 or 9 inch pie pans, whip up a cream cheese frosting of glaze, and stack. Viola!

Original recipe found here.

apple cake

Why do I feel like I'm getting away with something when I eat desserts that contain fruit? :)

Yield: One 9½ inch pie plate

280 calories per slice, if cut into 8 slices

Active time: 10 minutes

Total time: 60 minutes

ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

3 medium honeycrisp apples (or any apples of your choosing)

2 apple pears (or more apples)

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled

preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease a 9½ inch pie plate, set aside.

3. Wash and cut the fruit into 1 to 2 inch pieces, place in a large bowl, and set aside.

4. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs until foamy.

5. Add in the sugar, vanilla, water, and baking powder. Whisk until well-blended, about 1 minute.

6. Add in the flour and whisk until well-blended, about 1 minute.

7. Add in the melted butter and whisk until well blended, about 2 minutes.

8. Pour the wet mixture over the apples, gently mixing to coat.

9. Pour the batter into the pie plate.

10. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 50 minutes.

Original recipe found here.