Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake

I'm not really sure what defines   a coffee cake.  The ability to eat it in the morning ... with coffee?  The cinnamon?  The wonderful streusel topping?  I'm really not sure. 

Since I'm really not sure what exactly constitutes a coffee cake, I'm not really sure what to call this dessert.  Light cake with a hint of cinnamon and a layer of apple with a streusel topping?  Yeah - probably not.

Any way you look at it, here's a recipe for a deliciously light cake perfect for Christmas morning, an after-dinner dessert with ice cream, or with mid-morning tea with friends.

Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake

Streusel Topping

• 1/2 c flour
• 3/4 t ground cinnamon
• 3 T chilled butter - cut
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/4 old fashioned oats

Cake batter

• 1 c flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/8 t salt
• 1/4 c butter - room temp
• 1/2 c white sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 t vanilla
• 1/3 c milk (almond or regular)

• 2 large Granny Smith apples - peel, core, cut into thin slices

-- In a small bowl, combine all the steusel ingredients and cut together with a pastry cutter until it's coarse and crumbly.  Set aside
-- Make the batter.  Combine the flour, baking powder and salt - set aside.
-- In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth.  Add the sugar and cream until combined.  Now add the egg and vanilla and cream some more.
-- Slowly add the milk and flour mix to the creamy bowl and mix until all wet and smooth.
--  Pour into a greased 8 or 9 inch spring-foam pan.  ( i put parchment or wax paper down and that helped out quite a bit).
-- Layer the apples on top of the batter in a circular pattern.  I did a double layer and it was perfect!
-- Sprinkle the apples with the streusel topping and pop in the oven for 45-50 minutes at 350 - until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.