My mother loved coffee cake.

I’m not sure what the “official” description of a coffee cake is, but growing up it meant a simple single-layer cake cooked in a brownie pan, using common pantry ingredients. It didn’t require special care or skill or fancy frosting. A good basic recipe could be customized in dozens of ways, depending on the season and mood.

Does a coffee cake contain coffee? Sometimes! (Try a chocolate coffee cake with a little bit of coffee mixed in!)

I think the reason we called it coffee cake is because my mom would bake the cake in the morning to serve to her neighborhood friends when they dropped by. The ladies would drink coffee, eat cake, and gossip.

I was secretly enthralled – CAKE for breakfast!!!

In the autumn, we had Apple Spice Coffee Cake – likely because we had an abundant Granny Smith apple tree right in the backyard.

I recreated this version from memory, and it’s so good even Mr. PickyPants likes it! It’s super moist and full of fall spices – cinnamon, ginger, allspice. Heck, it’s worth baking just because it makes your house smell so fantastic!

Ingredients for Autumn Apple Spice Cake:

1 1/2 Cups Self Rising Flour

1 Cup Sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger

1/2 teaspoon Allspice

1 TBL Vinegar (I use Apple Cider Vinegar)

5 TBL Organic Canola Oil

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Water

1 Medium/Large Granny Smith Apple, shredded*

1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans

Directions for Autumn Apple Spice Cake:

Preheat oven to 350.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, and allspice. Mix well.

Make 3 holes. Pour the oil in one, vinegar into another, and vanilla extract into the third.

Pour a cup of water over everything and stir until well combined.

Add the shredded apple and pecans. Stir just until evenly distributed.

Pour into a 8×8 or 9×9 brownie pan. Bake for 35 minutes.

Cut into squares and enjoy!

APPLE NOTES:

Please use a “real” apple and not applesauce. This one small detail makes a difference!

If possible, do use a medium/large Granny Smith or other tart apple (measurement does not need to be exact).

Either grate the apple, or cut into chunks and throw it into your food processor for a few pulses, until it has a shredded appearance.