We don’t seem to take enough coffee breaks these days. How did it happen that our worlds became so rushed? I remember growing up and being at my great-aunt’s house and watching her bake.
Mariskaneni always had a sweet Hungarian cake ready for her friends that would come over for a visit and a good chat. There was great conversation and delicious desserts to be shared with her company. And always some steaming hot coffee. I need to do that a little more over here.
I first time I baked it, I put the crumble topping ingredients on the bottom of a bundt cake. When it cooled, I flipped it and oh my goodness…what a topping it had!It was a hard caramel/toffee like topped apple cake. I honestly liked that “oops” version better than with a crumble topping because I go gaga for any thing caramel or toffee.
You may wonder what the consistency is like in the cake. It’s more dense than your regular coffee cake. Almost bread like. Fabrizio said it was like a panettone in consistency. As for the spices (cinnamon/nutmeg), adjust it to your liking. I added a little more cinnamon to the batter. I like a stronger cinnamon flavor. The nutmeg amount for me was perfect. If you prefer more nutmeg, adjust to the way you enjoy it. 🙂
The cake is so easy to make and rises up nicely. It is sweet and moist from the apples and the crumble topping is wonderful. Perfect for an afternoon coffee break and delightful for breakfast.
Fresh Apple Coffee Cake
recipe used with permission from Red Star Yeast
1 cup water
1 egg
2 Tbsp. shortening
2 3/4 cup bread flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (I used 1 tsp)
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 cup apple, peeled, chopped or shredded
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (cake is also delicious when you omit walnuts)
Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened
Directions:
Preheat Oven to 375ºF.
Grease and flour (or spray with baking spray) a tube pan or a 9-inch square cake pan.
In saucepan, heat water and shortening until very warm (120°-130° F; shortening does not need to melt). In large mixer bowl, combine 1+1/2 cups flour, yeast, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon; mix well. Add water with the shortening to the flour mixture. Add egg. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. With a spatula, mix in the remaining flour, the apples and walnuts a little at a time until combined and you have a soft batter.
Prepare Topping: Combine brown sugar, flour, and spices. Mix the butter in with your hands until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle topping over the dough.
Cover; let rise in warm place about 30 (I let mine rise about 45 minutes) minutes. Bake at 375º F for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.
Disclosure – This post was sponsored by Red Star Yeast. All opinions are my own.
After this crazy month, I'm totally making this cake when I get back! Looks incredible'
oooh I would love a piece of that cake with my coffee!! The crumble topping looks perfect.
Coffee and tea time breaks…those are up my alley. If you lived nearby, I'd have you over for tea! Love the cake, Lora.
Wow, this looks delish – I love all the apples and the golden crumble topping!
*droool* I'm so glad I don't have that sitting on my counter. I have no self control with apple recipes lol
It looks wonderful!
Does it keep fresh and moist for a few days? Or does it have to be refrigerated and warmed before serving?
Thanks, Winnie:) I've never had it around longer than 2 days so I can't honestly tell you;)We had it the 2nd day again and it was still moist:)
Thanks for your quick reply
I want it for Fri-night and Sat. so I think the best way for me would be to bake it on Fri morning
Thanks again 🙂
You're welcome. The 2nd time I left out the walnuts and it was still wonderful. 🙂
I love coffee cakes, and I love apple desserts. What a perfect combo!
This is really interesting to me that you would make a coffee cake using yeast. It looks delicious and I'm sure it is packed with flavour.
Congratulations on this partnership with Red Star Yeast. I'm looking forward to more of your great recipes 🙂
I love coffee cakes with apple or pear in them… it just gives them that fresh sweet taste with each mouthful. Thanks for sharing. I have a few extra apples in the fridge, so I might try this out.
This cake sounds lovely! I like how yeasted coffee cakes often contain a more reasonable amount of sugar and butter than other coffee cakes, plus you get some of that chewy, bready texture. Yeah, I just talked myself into making this.
This looks beautiful! I love coffee cakes. Yum!
The coffee cake looks irresistible! Thanks for showing how easy it is to bake with yeast 🙂
This cake sounds awesome Lora! I love all of the apple goodness added to this, it would be perfect warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream :)!
Thanks Amy-I agree! Nothing like apple cake with vanilla ice cream:)
That looks so yummy!
Fantastic recipe!! I don't usually do coffee cakes with yeast, but this one looks like a winner. Just like Red Star!!
Great recipe Lora. I baked million different apple cakes but never a yeast apple cake. I bet it tasted incredible. I would love aslice along with my herbal tea, please? 🙂 Congrats on your partnership with Resd Star Yeast! Yay!
Hi, I think it's great to make a coffee cake with fresh fruit and use yeast. On reading the recipe I couldn't find the ingredients for the topping. I looked it up on the red star yeast page. thanks for the idea!
Congrats on your partnership. I look forward to a yeast apple cake, something I've been meaning to try.
wow this cake looks amazing!! makes me wish i had a bundt pan so i could make this, i love the taste of apples in a coffee cake
that looks like a delicious cake – i definitely need to try it!