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This recipe comes from my mom’s recipe collection – she used to have an old silver box filled with little hand-written recipe cards in a kitchen drawer. I think the box has long disappeared but somehow this card ended up with me in Ireland.

You can tell this cake has been made many times! This was one of my favourite desserts when I was little – I remember often asking my mom to bring this for the desserts table at our piano recitals. I have created a healthier version – but it still tastes just how I remember it.

Healthy Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Muffin Cake

by Emily Ratzlaff

Prep Time: 25 min

Cook Time: 40 min

Ingredients (makes 10-12 slices):

For the Cake:

  • 1 cup of oats, ground into a flour
  • 1 cup of spelt flour (or whole wheat/all purpose or almond flour)
  • 1 tablespoon of baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cloves
  • 1/4 cup of almond butter (or regular butter)
  • 3/4 cup of low fat plain organic yogurt
  • 1/4 cup of honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup of finely diced peeled apple (about 2 small apples)

For the Crumb Topping

  • 2 tablespoons of spelt flour
  • 2 tablespoons of raw brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of dairy-free butter (or regular butter/margarine)
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

Instructions:For the Crumble Topping

  • Combine 2 tablespoons of spelt flour, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and mix well. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut in 1 tablespoon of butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside in the fridge.

For the Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a bundt or loaf pan with cooking spray.
  • Add oats to a blender and blend until a fine flour forms.
  • Combine dry ingredients and blend well.
  • Combine almond butter, yogurt, honey, eggs, and vanilla extract.
  • Beat the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and blend until batter is smooth. Stir in chopped apple.

  • Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth so the surface is level.
  • Sprinkle with crumb topping.

  • Bake until crumbs are crisp and lightly browned and a knife inserted in center of cake comes out clean. (About 40 minutes).
  • Cool cake in pan for at least 20 minutes. Run a knife between cake and sides of pan and gently invert cake onto cooling rack. Cool thoroughly before serving.
  • This cake is not extremely sweet – it’s more like a muffin, if you want a sweeter cake just add some sugar or more honey. This cake is delicious served with whipping cream or vanilla ice cream/yogurt. For a healthier version, you could omit the crumble topping. *Note, the crumble topping is actually on the bottom of the cake after you flip it out of the bundt pan. If you don’t have a bundt pan, you could always use a loaf tin or a muffin tin.

This cake is delicious for breakfast or dessert (or both!). I’m currently recovering from yesterday’s 3 hour run with apple cake.