Improving Upon a Good Thing

Back in 2010, I first posted this recipe for Apple Cake on my recipe blog. (I like keeping all my recipes together in one spot, hence the separate blog. Makes it easy to search.)

Anyways, I make this cake every year. It's a recipe I first tasted in the jungles of Ecuador, made by a good friend. It's delicious, as is, served with softly whipped cream. 

I've mentioned previously how I love watching The Great British Bake Off, and how inspiring I find it. I know there's a new series going now, not on the BBC, and I haven't watched any of it, yet. I have to find out where to view it.

Back to the cake. Inspiration struck when I thought about apples and apple crisp. For me, the best part is the crispy topping. I make a triple or quadruple batch of the topping to keep in the freezer for quick crisps. 

"What if," I thought, "I put some of the apple crisp topping on the apple cake?" 

I did. It's delicious. An improvement upon an already very good cake. Especially after drizzling an icing sugar, butter and cream glaze over top. 

Apple Cake

1 3/4 cups sugar
4 cups apples, cored, not peeled, diced
1/2 cup oil 
1 cup nuts (I omit, due a husband not fond of the crunchy bits)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda (reduced from the original recipe)

About 1 1/2 cups of apple crisp topping (I use one with oatmeal)

1. Stir together sugar, apples, oil, and nuts, if using, in a medium large bowl. 
2. Add the eggs and vanilla. Stir well.
3. In another bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Stir.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the apple mixture. Stir just to combine. It will be thick.
5. Spread in oiled 9 x 13 baking pan (I use glass).
6. Sprinkle the apple crisp topping over the batter.  
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, then at 300 degrees for 15 minutes.
8. While still hot, drizzle a mixture of melted butter (1-2 Tablespoons, 1-2 Tablespoons cream or milk, enough icing sugar to make a spoon-able glaze.)

Enjoy for dessert with a cup of milky chai tea.

Before dessert, this is what we ate for dinner. 

I've been making a few of these sheet pan dinners lately. So easy. Cube vegetables, or cut into bite-sized pieces - here it's sweet potato, red onion, broccoli, and sweet red pepper. Spread on baking sheet. 
Add chunks of chicken breasts (as above), or sausage pieces, or pork chops. 
Season to taste - today it was salt, a pepper medley, and fresh rosemary.
Roast at 420 degrees for 30 minutes. Dinner is served!