Farmhouse or Fancy? A Versatile Apple Spice Cake

I learned something important today.  I learned to never, ever cook while hungry.  Especially when preparing one's favorite kind of dish, which for me, happens to be in the form of a cake.  You know, like what I'm blogging about today.  It was all I could do to refrain from shoving my face into the batter, that's what.  I'm so glad I didn't.  I'd have missed out on the scrumptious, lightly crunchy, glazed-covered top.  Heavens, no.

Make it into a fancy tube cake or a farmy skillet cake, it doesn't mind.  It's a laid back kinda cake, full of real, unrefined ingredients that's quick to make, and best of all?  You don't have to peel the apples.  Yes, Lord.  I'll show you both methods of preparing this irresistibly moist cake.  Readysetgo.

Apple Spice Cake
Yields 12-14 servings; Prep time: 20 minutes; Bake time: 50-75 minutes


1 1/2 cups expeller pressed coconut oil (it doesn't taste like coconut)
2 cups rapadura
3 eggs
3 cups spelt flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups apples, grated

Topping:
3 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup turbinado sugar
3 Tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecans, whole or pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees if baking in a large cast iron skillet (I used a 10-inch) or 325 if baking in a tube pan.  Grease and flour skillet or pan.
2. Beat oil and rapadura together in a mixer.  Add eggs, one at a time, while beating on a lower speed.
3. Turn the mixer to a medium to low speed and add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and vanilla.  Continue mixing until well incorporated.
4. Add grated apples and mix through.
5. Scoop batter into the skillet or tube pan and bake for 50 minutes in the skillet or 60-75 minutes in the tube pan, or until a knife plunged into the center comes out clean.  If cooking in the tube pan, wait about 10 minutes and turn the cake out onto a serving dish.  If preparing in the skillet, leave it be.
6. To make the topping, combine all topping ingredients except the nuts in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Let boil for 1 minute, still stirring constantly, then remove from heat.  On a still-warm cake, immediately sprinkle the nuts and then drizzle the topping over the nuts.  Spread topping over the top of the cake.

Farmhouse cake

Fancy cake

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