Apple Coffee Cake

Don't you just love this time of year?! Changing colors... falling leaves... falling temperatures- well, in some parts of the country that is. Here, in the Valley of the Sun, we were told triple digits are still in our future- ugh! But at least our evenings are cooling down enough to open our windows, and allow some fresh air back in again.


What I do love about this time of year is the over abundance of apples . More than any other, they are my absolute favorite fresh fruit. Gala apples to be specific. Always crisp, with the perfect touch of sweetness, they are my favorite snack as well as my favorite baking apple.



Some years ago, I was given this recipe by a man that had done some repairs on my car. We had gotten on the subject of holiday baking, and he said that this cake was his favorite fall treat. His mom had baked it every year for as long as he could remember, calling it "Raw Apple Cake". I don't know about you, but that struck me as odd. I mean, don't most ingredients start out as "raw"? Of course, once baked, the apple no longer would be. To me, the name had to go. I figured since there was a significant amount of coffee in the recipe, Apple Coffee Cake had a much better tune.


I love the subtle flavors of Fall in this cake. Not overly spiced, the flavor of the apple shines through. Combined with the textures of the nuts and the raisins, and a light sprinkle of coconut, it's a really great breakfast treat... or a really late night time snack- with a lot of butter. Yeah, it's butter season, too ;-)

Apple Coffee Cake

1 c unsalted butter
2 c sugar
4 eggs
1 c cold coffee
3 c flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c raisins, soaked 15 minutes in very hot water, then drained
3 c peeled, sliced apples
1 c walnuts
1/2 c shredded coconut

Combine baking soda and coffee; set aside. Combine flour and spices; set aside.

Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl, creaming well. Add eggs, one at a time until well blended. Alternately add the flour mixture with the coffee mixture to the butter, making sure it is completely blended. Then fold in raisins, apples, and walnuts.

Pour batter into a large loaf or cake pan that has been lightly greased and floured. Sprinkle top with coconut. Bake at 350 F for approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on your oven. Let cool completely before serving.