tasty tuesday: apple streusel coffee cake

Coffee cakes are one of my favorite cakes. Second only perhaps, to chocolate cake. Depends on my mood I suppose. And coffee cakes in Fall are just plain delightful. There's something so cozy about them, and the fact that they usually contain cinnamon makes them even more wonderful.

This recipe came from my friend Rachel, and I am so in love with it. You've got cinnamon, apples, and a streusel topping....what more could you ask for? So much goodness.

Make this on a crisp Fall day, and serve with hot coffee!

Or hot chocolate, or milk, or whatever. For those of us that aren't really into coffee...

Apple Streusel Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

2 tbsp white vinegar

1 3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cups white sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (I used elstars)

Streusel topping:

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, cold

Directions:

1) In a large liquid measuring cup, combine milk and vinegar and let stand for 10 minutes to sour.

2) Next, mix together streusel topping: Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Cut in butter until you have coarse crumbs. Set aside.

3) Now you can start getting the cake batter ready. Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and creamy.

4) Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5) Add vanilla and mix well.

6) Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

7) Add flour mixture to butter mixture in four additions, alternating with the milk mixture in three additions. (You want to start and end with adding the flour mixture). Mix together until just combined.

8) Spread about half the cake batter into a greased, 9x13 pan.

9) Place apple slices close together in a single layer over the batter, and then sprinkle with about half of the streusel topping over the apples.

10) Spread the remaining batter over everything, and sprinkle the remaining streusel topping on top.

11) Bake at 350 degree for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.