Caramel Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Given a choice between a regular cake with lots of frosting or a good old fashioned coffee cake, I will almost always choose the latter.  And a coffee cake with a thick crumb topping?  That I'll choose every time.

Now that fall is here, and so many glorious apples are available, I couldn't resist making an apple cake...an over the top good apple cake.  Tall and moist, with sour cream and lots of fragrant cinnamon..  It was a seasonal beauty and definitely going on the make again soon list.  Enjoy!









Ingredients

Cake:
1 1/2 Cups sugar
2 Eggs
1 Stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Cup sour cream
1 Teaspoon vanilla
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 Teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon salt
2 Apples, peeled, cored and diced

Crumb Topping:
1/2 Cup sugar
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1 Stick unsalted butter, melted
1 Cup all purpose flour
Dash of salt

To make the crumb topping, combine the sugar, salt, flour and cinnamon in a bowl.  Stir in the melted butter and let sit while you assemble the rest of the cake.

To make the cake, cream the eggs and sugar together using either a stand mixer or a hand mixer.  Beat in the butter.  Add the vanilla and sour cream and continue mixing until combined.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Stir into the batter and mix.  Add the diced apples and stir just until combined.

To assemble the cake, pour the cake layer batter into a buttered and floured tube pan.  Crumble the crumb topping evenly over the batter and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for approximately 40 - 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.  Drizzle the top with caramel sauce.  Makes approximately 10 servings.