Apple Streusel Coffeecake

This coffeecake is our traditional breakfast for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I found the recipe years ago (10+) in a magazine (Better Homes and Garden, Family Circle, or McCalls are likely sources). It is soooooo delicious. A moist coffeecake (not dried out and crumbly like some get), tart apples, sweet and crunchy streusel combine to make a heavenly coffeecake.

The recipe calls for a bundt pan, and I've always stayed true to the recipe. When it turns out (meaning it comes out without falling apart) it looks FABULOUS. You make nice little slices, and you see all the layers. When part of it sticks to the pan though, it tumbles out of the bundt and splits at the middle apple level. So greasing the bundt pan well is essential.

Why then, if I know the secret to success, did my coffeecake split in half, and out of the pan this year? I blame it on the much beloved and talked about Pampered Chef stoneware. After owning the stoneware bundt pan for 3-4 years, I am still trying to get it properly seasoned. When the stoneware is seasoned, it doesn't look like the clean beige you see above. It darkens to a nice brown like you see in the pizza stone to the right. Once seasoned, food releases easily. Though I've had the bundt pan for a few years, it just doesn't get used enough. I really need to use it whenever possible (breads, meatloaf) so I can get it seasoned! If you are using a new-ish PC stoneware pan...be warned.

Like my lumpy pie crust, what matters most is taste. And this tastes damn good!

Apple Streusel Coffeecake

Streusel
1 3/4 C packed light brown sugar
3/4 C all purpose flour
1 stick (1/2 C) cold butter, cut in small pieces
2 tsp cinnamon
1 C walnuts, coarsely chopped

In a medium size bowl, stir everything for the streusel (except the walnuts) together with fingertips until crumbly and butter is completely incorporated. Stir in walnuts.

Cake
3 1/4 C all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda

1 ½ sticks (3/4 C) butter or margarine (not spread), at room temperature
1 1/4 C sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1- 16 oz container plain low-fat yogurt
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced into ½” pieces

Mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla and yogurt. With mixer on low speed, beat in flour mixture.

Spoon 3 cups batter into pan, spread evenly.
Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the streusel, the apples, and then ½ cup of the streusel.

Spoon on remaining batter and spread evenly.

Sprinkle with remaining streusel, pressing down lightly so it sticks to the batter.

Heat oven to 350̊. Grease and flour a 14 C nonstick bundt pan. Bake 70-90 minutes or until a pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 15 minutes. Place cookie sheet over pan and carefully invert both. Remove pan and cool completely.

The most “undone” part of the cake is in the middle around the cone.

Serves 16. Per serving: 462 calories, 7 g pro, 63 g car, 21 g fat, 80 mg chol with butter, 41 mg chol with margarine, 291 mg sod. Exchanges: 2 1/4 starch/bread, 2 fruit, 4 fat.

Edited on 12/30/07: These pics are from our Christmas 2007 coffeecake. I made sure the pan was WELL-greased before baking. I also let it cook longer than the Thanksgiving one. It was amazing to see the difference in the cake the last 10, 20, and 30 minutes. I set the timer for 60 minutes, and then checked it every 10 minutes, with a final cook time of 90 minutes.The extra time allowed the center to rise up well above the top of the center cone.