Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake

We’re fully into apple picking season and a few friends and I harvested our bounty at Terhune Orchards in Dutchess County (761 North Avenue, Salt Point NY, 12578. Phone 845-266-3389). Our adventure was part of the MTA’s One Day Getaway Fall Harvest Wine, Cheese, & Apple Picking weekends. The last one is this coming weekend, but you can use the itinerary as a guide for your own trip.

When I went on the same tour two years ago, I got recipe cards from Dutchess County Tourism which included my now-annual-favorite -- an Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe from The Culinary Institute of America.

You’ll need a 9-inch square baking dish. I’ve been using an 8-inch dish, which requires a baking time of 60 minutes and remember to remove any oven racks above the cake, because it will rise and could get messy (lesson learned the hard way!).

Options:

- I made this with Granny Smith apples, but use whatever you like. Remember that firmer apples are best for baking.

- I’ve also made this without eggs, instead substituting 3 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 9 Tbsp water. Let the mixture sit a few minutes before adding it to the recipe so it combines together. When you’re adding it to the butter and sugar, just pour it in slowly in thirds.

- I only used about 1 cup of sugar for the whole recipe, about 3/4 in the batter and 1/4 to sprinkle on top.

- You can substitute a normal-sized container of Greek yogurt if you don’t want to use sour cream. This way you’re not stuck with leftover sour cream!

Makes 16 servings

- 3 cups all-purpose flour

- 3 tsp ground cinnamon

- 2 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 3 cups peeled, sliced apples (~3 medium)

- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

- 3 eggs

- 1 1/4 cups sugar

- 1/2 cup sour cream OR 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease and flour a 9" or 8" baking dish.

2. Sift together the flour, 2 tsp cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Finely chop half the apples and leave the other half sliced.

4. Cream the butter and 1 cup of the sugar together on medium speed until very light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well to combine after each addition. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to combine the ingredients thoroughly. Add the chopped apples and sour cream (or yogurt) and stir until combined.

5. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients. Add the sliced apples and fold them into the batter gently, just until the slices are coated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it into an even layer.

6. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until tester comes out clean and the edges shrink from the sides of the pan.