apple of my eye*

*What?!? I don't get it. I think I'll start saying "acai of my eye" instead, just for kicks. And because it rhymes.


I hope I'm never forced to pick my favorite fruit--it'd be way too hard. I love them all, really--bananas for a filling snack, blueberries for an enhanced yogurt-granola experience, dried cranberries for a tart and chewy salad addition, etc, etc. Right now, however, I think I most highly value the apple.

Pies, cobblers, crisps, cakes--is there any fruit dessert for which the apple is not appropriate? I submit that there is not. I've been down the road to Applecakeville once or twice before, but since it's a place I really enjoy visiting, I went back using a different route.


How do I describe this cake? Well folks, the air is dry. The skin on my hands is cracking and peeling and screaming for hourly lotion applications. My hair looks like I stuck my finger in an electrical socket. This cake, however, is so incredibly moist that it can easily combat all that desiccation.

While the moist-iosity is the defining characteristic of this cake for me, there are other redeeming qualities. The spices are redolent, the apples are softened yet still a tad toothy, the coconut (my addition) is crunchy and flavorful. It has a tender crumb, which is appropriate since I found the base recipe on Linda's awesome blog of the same name. Also, although the original recipe didn't originally call for apple butter**, it was a marvelous and valuable component if I do say so myself.


**Incidentally, apple butter is quickly becoming my favorite condiment, approaching and about to overtake pepper jelly. I shall enjoy letting the two fight it out.

Mega-Moist Muffin Cake
(inspired by this recipe)

1/2 cup milk
1 cup apple butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
3 cups apples, diced
1 cup coconut, toasted

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Spray down an 8x8-inch pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, apple butter, egg, vanilla, and melted butter. In a separate large bowl, blend together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and oats to combine thoroughly. Using a large rubber spatula, pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and mix only until combined (less is better). Fold in the diced apples and pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the toasted coconut.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted into the cake center comes out clean. Let cool before cutting into squares, rectangles, circles, or what-have-you.