Hazel Apple Snackin' Cake

Who doesn’t love apple season? Although the triteness of the phrase threatens me with asphyxiation, I fold to the pumpkin, apple and “OMG I would love a cup-of-something-warm” bacchanal that rages from September to November. Le sigh.

Amidst the glut of fall sponsored babble, memories of Flour quietly flood my thoughts. The hyperextension of bowl scraping and the shrieky accolades of bite sized critics cheered me then and now.During my shifts, the last 3 items on my mise-en-place, prepping twice baked croissants, pulling quickbreads and undirtying my surroundings tapped the well of Herculean resilience that I only have experienced while racing. The imminent finish line promises reprieve, brain off push on.

So this apple cake is a Namaste to the Vegan Apple Snacking Cake, part of my ritual bread pull, that was the hot air to my deflated energy. Thanks bud.

My apples are courtesy of Brooksby Farm- Tis’ the season! Go Pick while the going’s great!

Pro-Baker Tips

• This is an oil cake Beurre? Non, merci Beaucoup! The oil coats the flour so that the gluten does not activate, maiming your well-intentioned efforts at a tender crumb.
• This beauty is gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free and vegan. It just tastes so good you won’t have to tell your samplers about its components. It’ll be our clean little secret.

Serves 8-12

This is a hug for your soul and your stomach.

3 Cups of All Purpose Gluten Free Mix I use the ratios Shauna gives at Gluten Free Girl  (You could also use AP Flour or a Mix of WHole Wheat and AP)

1/2 C Vegetable Oil

3 tablespoons of ground flax

1 C of Nayonaise Light (You could simply add 1 1/2 C of Vegetable or other Neutral Oil)

1 C of Sucanat

1/4 C Agave Nectar Light

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Vanilla

3 Cups of  Peeled, Cored and Chopped Apples (I used Cortland, Gala and Macintosh)

1/2 Lemon

Poppy Seeds

Optional But strongly suggested Add-ins 

1 Cup of Nuts (I used Hazel) 

1 Cup of Raisins or Currants

1. Preheat oven to 350. If you have a silicone bundt pan like the one I used, no need to grease it. Otherwise, grease your pan de choice.
2. Beat the Oil, Nayonaise and Sucanat In a stand in Mixer for 5 minutes. Use your stove timer. It should be the color of caramel and the texture of hand lotion when its done.
3. While this is beating, flax egg time: Add your three tbspoons of ground flax to a bowl. Then add three tablespoons of water for each tablespoon of flax (So 9 tbs total) Stir with a fork until uniform in texture. Add your generous tablespoon of vanilla extract to the egg mix.
4. Add egg mix to the mixer and mix for 1 minute until uniform in texture. Squeeze your lemon into the wet mix making sure to prevent seed paratroopers that want to hop into the bowl.
5. Assemble the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Remember when adding the flours scoop from the container and level it off with a knife or spatula. You want it fluffy, not packed in! Add the spices to the flour and whisk. 
6. Add the dries to the wet in 3 additions. Add some and let incorporate and repeat. After you add your last of the dry, stop the mixer
7. After scraping the paddle attachment, use a spatula to finish off mixing. This prevents over beating and ensures that you discover any hidden agrocrags of flour at the bottom of your bowl. 
8. Add your nuts, raisins, and poppy seeds. Mix with spatula.
9. Transfer the mixture to your pan-in-waiting. Bake for 1 hour and check for doneness with a toothpick. It should come out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack before attempting lift-out. 

Serving Suggestions: A swipe of almond butter, coffee and the latest New Yorker. 
Or just a giant slab with coffee will do.