Having A Crumb-y Day

I don't subscribe to Everyday Food, but I do love it. I love how fuss free the recipes are and the photos that accompany them. Instead I get suckered in at the cash register into buying them. I especially love the holiday issues filled with turkey, stuffing, cranberry, sweet potatoes, pies, and cookies. Oh, and the holiday cookie issue just has me salivating!

I flip through the pages and I honestly want to make every recipe. I DVR Everyday Food and Everyday Baking on Saturday mornings but I don't particularly like the hosts though because they don't have any personality and are clearly reading from teleprompters. But, the food always looks good and that has to count for something, right?

Then I got the Everyday Food cookbook. That allowed me to look at it at my own leisure (without the hosts) and without the clutter of all the little magazines. Most of those recipes that are in the smaller issues are also in this book, and they're divided by season. Genius. This recipe is adapted from the Blueberry Crumb Cake. This cake is very good with blueberries, but I decided since it is fall, that I'd try it with apples. Though, pears or blackberries would be good in this too.

Apple Crumb Cake adapted from Everyday Food

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter

FOR THE CAKE

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk, well shaken
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make crumb topping: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter using your hands or a pastry blender until large, moist crumbs form. Chill until ready to use.

Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately until just combined. (Batter will be very stiff.) Fold chopped apples into the batter and spoon into prepared pan.

Generously sprinkle cake with crumb topping. Bake until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before cutting into squares.

Serves 9-12

NOTE: Granny Smith are good baking apples, because they hold up without getting mushy, but this cake only bakes for 45 minutes, so they'll maintain their texture. I used Red Delicious apples, because I had an entire bag of them, but use your favorite type.