Fall Apple Strussel Coffee Cake

I could not help myself today when I want shopping.   I saw those beautiful Macintosh apples in the bin and had to have them.   They have that perfect tart sweet flavor for eating, however it fares equally well when you cook them.  They are quite versatile indeed and fairly hardy, keeping well in the fridge.  So I gathered a nice big bag full and as soon as my partner was off to work I began to explore my options.  I wanted something heartwarming, with a little crunch and piquancy.  Anyways... I have this special little recipe for a no fail coffee cake that comes with spicy nutty struessel.

This is it in all it's glory.  The strussel has cinnamon and brown sugar for the sweetness, oats and walnuts for the crunch and a little margarine and flour to bind it all together.

Apple Strussel Coffee Cake

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 apples, peeled, sliced thin and soaked in a little lemon water to keep from turning brown

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  In a seperate bowl mix all liquids.  Using a spoon, quickly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix quickly making sure not to over mix, sort of like a biscuit, it should be slightly more liquidy then a biscuit recipe and you can spread it in an 8 by 8 inch square pan. Make a  pattern or just lay the apples across the cake, make it as pretty as you like.

Now for the struessel:

IN a small bowl toss together 

• 1/4 cup brown sugar 
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1 heaping, close to 2 tbsp margarine

In a small bowl beat the butter, add the sugar, spice flour, then once it's been thoroughly mixed add the nuts and oats, mixing now with your finger tips.  Gently scatter across the top of the cake, then put into a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes to half an hour.  I always knew when it was done by the way it smelled.  However another good way to test is by seeing if the cake springs back at the center when poked with your finger.  Once you've mastered this you can pull it out when it smells done.

This cake cooks up quickly and can double as a nice breakfast when someone is coming off the late shift at work.