Life on the farm has been in full swing for the two months now!! Apples galore!! Cider making!! Squash and corn and potatoes and more!! Hence the wee break I took….ha! And our apple u-pick is nearly done, so so crazy. I’m already missing walking through our orchard at peak harvest. There’s truly nothing like it!

Anyway, I’m back, with the perfect Fall dessert. Apple pecan cinnamon swirl coffee cake. There’s apples, some pecans if you so choose, a fancy little swirl of cinnamon, and the easiest cake ever.

Bake it in a springform pan like I did! Or simply use a 9x13 baking pan to make life even easier. You can top with apple slices, keep it simple with cinnamon sugar, or get fancy with a crumble. I love this cake so much, and hope you do too!

apple pecan cinnamon swirl coffee cake

yields: one 9 or 10 inch round cake, or one 9x13 cake
recipe: adapted from my great Grandma Enid

ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk (or simply mix 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp vinegar/lemon juice - let stand for 5 minutes before using)

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cup chopped apple - about 1 medium tart, firm apple (I love Elstar or granny smith)

Topping + cinnamon swirl filling:

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans
 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9 or 10-inch round spring form pan (alternatively use a 9x13 baking dish).

In a large mixing bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to cream together butter and sugar on medium speed  Add in the egg and vanilla extract, and mix on medium until light and fluffy.

Add in buttermilk, and mix on low until combined.  Gradually add in flour and baking soda, and mix on medium low until 90% mixed - flour streaks should remain.  Stir in apple pieces until just combined.

If you want a cinnamon swirl - pour about half the batter into the prepared pan, top with half the topping mixture, add in the rest of the batter, and then the rest of the cinnamon sugar. Top with thinly sliced apples if desired, and sprinkle chopped pecans around the edge if using.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes before running a knife around edge of cake, and carefully removing the outside of the springform pan.

For a 9x13 pan: reduce baking time to 30-35 minutes.

Serve warm on the same day. (Keeps several days, but tends to get a bit soggy).

notes:

this cake is best served warm on the first day, or kept for a few days and warmed before serving.

baking time, as always, depends on the exact temp of your oven (get an oven thermometer!!), lightness/darkness of the pan you’re using, as well as the type of material of the pan.

for baking, I always recommend a tart apple that won’t lose it’s shape in the oven - but it’s definitely a personal preference! use whatever kind you fancy.