Happy Friday! It has been a very hard week for our area. Northern California has many fires going on right now and we were close to evacuate. Thank GOD, we did not have to but we were all packed and ready to go, I don’t think we have ever been this close to a fire. I know some people lost their homes, my friend’s dad lost his home in the countryside area of Vacaville, CA. The sky is dark and the air is very unhealthy right now but we are very grateful that we are ok.

Now, let’s talk about this recipe. Fall baking season is my favorite season and I want to share with you this recipe that is a must in my house during Autumn. This cake is packed with cinnamon, nutmeg and chopped apples. It’s made with oil and Greek yoghurt that help to have a nice moist crumb. Also, you don’t need a mixer for this cake,

Videos of how I made this recipe are posted on my Instagram page @Pastry_Tales

Let’s start with the recipe.

Yield one 8 or 9 inch cake

Ingredients

For the cake

1 and 1/2 all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 cup white granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup Greek Yoghurt (plain)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped apples (peeled and diced very small). I used Granny Smith.

For the cinnamon-sugar topping

1/4 cup white granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Directions

For the cake

1.- Preheat oven to 350 F. Using butter, grease your pan bottom and sides. Set aside.

2.- In a small bowl mix: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Set aside.

3.- In a bigger bowl,, whisk your egg really good. Add in oil, mix. Add yoghurt and vanilla, mix well for about one minute.

4.- Pour this wet ingredients mix into the dry ingredients and mix using a spatula. When you see the dry ingredients is almost all mixed in, add chopped apples and finish mixing BUT be careful to not overmix otherwise your cake will be hard as a brick.

5.- Pour the batter into your prepared pan.

Now, let’s make the cinnamon sugar mixture.

For the cinnamon sugar mixture

1.- In a small bowl mix sugar and cinnamon. Add in melted butter and mix until it is lumpy.

2.- Sprinkle this cinnamon sugar on the top of the cake.

3.- Place your cake pan in the oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes until you insert a toothpick and it comes out with a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown too.

Remember that each oven works different so you always have to watch your baking time.

4.- Take your pan out of the oven and place it on the top of a cooling rack. Let it cool completely, slice and enjoy!