Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Any Day All-Occasion Apple Snack Cake (Flo Braker)

Any Day All-Occassion Snack Cake

I love snack cakes as much as I love Downton Abbey. I'm a bit late to the party and have been watching marathons of the first season. Oh, that Thomas...you are vile. And Bates and Anna? So perfect...if it weren't for that crazy pesky wife. Anyway, Miss Patmore might not make this, but you can make a quick cake any morning.

This recipe is from Flo Braker’s Baking For All Occasions - pick up the book, it is filled with lots of yummy recipes.

All Occasion Snacking Cake collage
This cake uses oil and no butter, even for the topping. Mix most of the dry ingredients together with oil and then pull out some of it. Add nuts (I used chopped walnuts from Trader Joe's) and some cinnamon to finish off the topping.

In the headnote, Flo says you can add a cup of fruit or veggies to the mix...it's very versatile. I shredded an apple (skin on).

Any Day All-Occassion Snack Cake
Any Day All-Occasion Apple Snack Cake
(adapted from Flo Braker’s Baking For All Occasions)

2 1/3 cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur all-purpose unbleached flour)
3⁄4 cup sugar (150 grams)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon - divided (I used Penzy's cinnamon)
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar (200 grams)
3⁄4 cup vegetable oil (I used Wesson's canola oil)
(I added 1 cup shredded apple with skin on)
1 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts (I used Trader Joe's Walnut baking pieces)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg

Prep: Preheat oven to 350 F. Prep a 9 x 13 pan.
You don't need a KitchenAid mixer...just a couple bowls and a whisk.

1. Sift together the flour, sugar, salt and 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon into a large bowl.
2. Mix in the brown sugar with a whisk.
3. Stir in the oil. (By this point, my batter was a little dry and in crumbles - this worked out fine).
4. Crumb topping: Remove enough of the flour mixture to measure 3⁄4 cup loosely packed. Add the remaining 1 tsp cinnamon and blend well with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Set aside.
5. To finish the cake batter, stir in the baking powder and baking soda. Add the buttermilk and egg and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
6. Stir in your added fruit or veggies (if adding). I added one shredded skin-on apple.
7. Pour the batter into pan, then sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the batter.
8. Bake for about 35 mins until toothpick comes out clean.
9. The instructions say to depan the cake after 10-15 minutes and let cool completely. However, I just left it in the pan to cool off.

10 comments:

  1. ob-SESSED with Downton Abbey. Obsessed.

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  2. MARY! Thomas is one of the best ones. Enjoy the first series, the second is not as good. But still worth watching, because you'll end up feeling like the characters are all your actual friends.

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  3. A delicious recipe, I had not seen before. I love it. regards

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  4. Cool, I LOVE apple cakes with crumb topping! Wondering if this would turn out well vegan. Maybe some almond mild with apple cider vinegar and flax seed gel in place of the egg. Time for a kitchen experiment!
    xx

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  5. Hi Mary! I grabbed this link to include in post I'm preparing for tomorrow. (20th) Just perfect!

    Thanks so much for sharing...

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  6. i'm hooked on downton abbey like no sensible 28-year-old should be hooked on anything--it's unhealthy. :)
    great cake!

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  7. @TrishI was in fact able to veganize this cake last night, and it turned out great!! I simply subbed in a cup of almond milk with a Tbsp. of apple cider vinegar for the buttermilk and a flax gel for the egg. The flavor and texture was about as good as gets. The cake itself was slightly crumbly and delicate, probably due to the lack of egg...but it still was great. Took it to work, and everyone wanted to know if I was going to put it out in my case. Shared it with co-workers and a few customers, who were begging me to make it for sale, lol. Think I'll save this one for myself. ;-) Thanks again for sharing.

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  8. Yum :) I love recipes where you don't need to use the mixer some days I'm just too lazy!

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  9. I would have one problem with this snack cake - I would certainly NOT want to share.

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