Author Notes
One of my favorite anytime snacks is an apple with peanut butter. The tarter the apple the better, and always with salted, crunchy peanut butter. There really is nothing better or more satisfying for between meals, post-workout, late night, you name it.
So I thought, shouldn't this affinity be translated into cake-form? (I ask this questions about a lot of golden flavor combinations.) In keeping with our household's mostly-vegan tradition, I decided to try my hand at a vegan apple & peanut butter coffee cake.
Coffee cake is one of the best kind of cakes. Why? Because it's delightfully diverse in that you can have it after dinner, with coffee, of course, or in the morning, as a slightly sweet but perfectly-okay-nutritional-wise breakfast. Right? Whole wheat flour, oatmeal, apples, peanuts. It's pretty much born into balance.
Alright, I'm pushing it a little, but you try to turn down a nice crunchy corner piece of this cake at 7AM on a Monday: notttt going to happen.
—Helen Williams
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Ingredients
- Cake Layer
-
1 cup
(unsweetened) almond milk
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1 teaspoon
apple cider vinegar
-
1/2 cup
sugar
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1/3 cup
coconut oil (melted)
-
1 cup
whole wheat flour
-
1/4 cup
all-purpose flour
-
1 teaspoon
baking soda
-
1 teaspoon
baking powder
-
1 teaspoon
ground ginger
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1/4 teaspoon
salt
-
2 1/2 cups
apples, peeled and diced
- Crumb Topping
-
3/4 cup
all-purpose flour
-
1/3 cup
packed brown sugar
-
1/3 cup
chopped walnuts (raw)
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1/2 teaspoon
ground ginger
-
4-5 tablespoons
peanut butter, melted
Directions
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Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a square 9"x9" baking dish and set aside.
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together your almond milk and apple cider vinegar until it is slightly foamy. Allow to sit for 3-4 minutes, then add your sugar, coconut oil and vanilla. Whisk to combine - if it seems slightly separated, don't worry: it will all come together soon!
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In a larger bowl, whisk together your flours, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger and salt. Combine with your wet ingredients. Quickly fold in your apples and transfer to your prepared baking dish.
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To make the crumb topping, put your flour, brown sugar, walnuts and ginger in a small bowl. Mix together, with a spoon or your fingers. Add your peanut butter (1-2 tablespoons at a time) and toss together with your hands. Large crumbs should start forming, but if the mixture still looks sandy or dry, continue working in your peanut butter one tablespoon at a time until you've reached the correct crumb consistency.
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Sprinkle this mixture evenly on top of your batter, then transfer to the oven for about 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. The topping should also look slightly browned.
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Allow to cool slightly (if you can stand it) and enjoy. With this breakfast, you'll surely be ready to face the day ahead.
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