APPLE SPICED STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE

APPLE SPICED STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE

Serves 8 to 10.

Streusel:

• 1/2 c. brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

• 1/4 c. (4 tbsp. ) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

• 1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts

Cake:

• 21/4 c. all-purpose flour

• 11/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

• 1 tsp. baking powder

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3/4 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar

• 1/2 c. granulated sugar

• 3 eggs

• 2 apples, such as Granny Smith or Golden Delicious, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped

• 11/4 c. buttermilk, mixed with 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-cup bundt pan or a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.

Prepare the streusel: In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, flour and butter. Rub together all the ingredients between your fingertips until they are evenly distributed and the mixture resembles large bread crumbs. Mix in the walnuts, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the cake: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugars, continuing to beat until very light. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. (Don't overbeat or the cake will be tough.) Gently stir in the chopped apples.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately beat in the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture, in 2 batches, ending with the buttermilk and beating until just mixed.

Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with half of the streusel. Spoon on the remaining batter, using a rubber spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining streusel evenly over the top. Pat the streusel down gently.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top of the cake is firm, the streusel is crisp and golden brown, and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove to a rack and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. If using a Bundt pan, invert the cake onto the rack and then transfer to a serving platter. Using a fine-mesh strainer, dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Variations

Mix it up a bit with these variations: Use pears instead of apples, add 1/2 cup chocolate chips to the streusel topping, or use pecans or almonds instead of walnuts.

Nutrition information per serving of 10:

Calories480Fat20 gSodium360 mg

Carbohydrates70 gSaturated fat10 gCalcium116 mg

Protein8 gCholesterol100 mgDietary fiber2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 3 bread/starch, 1 1/2 other carb, 4 fat.