Susan Semenak says there is a world of apple varieties to explore and enjoy. Here she offers a recipe for one way to bite into the fall harvest.

 

Old-Fashioned Apple Cake

Serves 8 to 10

 

Later-season apples such as Cortlands and Northern Spys are the best apples for baking. They are sweet-tart and keep their shape during cooking.

This is a foolproof recipe for an old-fashioned sour-cream coffee cake.

Adding baking soda to the sour cream helps the batter rise and produces a fluffy, moist cake. It is finished with a streusel topping of nuts and cinnamon.

I love how well it keeps; it's still moist a day or two after baking.

 

For cake:

  • 1 cup (250 ml) sour cream
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) butter, softened
  • 1 cup (250 ml) sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups (500 ml) sifted flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 cups (750 ml) peeled, chopped apples (3 large apples)

 

For topping:

  • 1/4 cup (50 ml) packed brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped walnuts

 

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour an 8-inch square (2 l) or 9-inch round (1.2 l) cake pan.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream and baking soda. Let stand about 10 minutes, until almost double in size.

Meanwhile, make topping by combining brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition, and vanilla. Beat well. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture, alternating with sour-cream mixture, beating just until incorporated. Fold in chopped apples.

Spread half the batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with half the topping.

Cover with remaining batter and spread smooth. Sprinkle with remaining topping.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and let cool 15 minutes before inverting from pan and slicing.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.