apple almond spice cake

This is a cake – but this sure ain’t your typical “cake”. Made with ingredients that would not be found anywhere near the it’ll-take-you-down-eventually list – in fact, they’re the headliners on the it’ll-keep-you-healthier-longer list – whole-grain pastry flour, apples, almonds, olive oil, cinnamon (one of the healthiest spices you can consume) and oats, to name a few of the star attractions.

So when sweet shows up as go-ahead-eat-me-and-lose-the-guilt – well, I’m all over it. It’s surprisingly easy to switch up unhealthy ingredients with healthier alternatives – the flour switch is a no-brainer, (swap out some or all of the white variety), apples bring moisture, the almonds bring crunch and flavour (aside from its arsenal of health benefits), olive oil will win in the health arena over butter every time and who doesn’t like a crispy, crunchy topping, as opposed to gobs of vapid goo, I mean icing!

This cake has it all – you can dress it up and take it dancing with a drizzle of caramel sauce, a dollop of  whipped or ice cream – or if you’d rather have your cake as is, at 3, with tea – then you’ve just met your cake!  A pretty good use for all those apples rolling around this time of year!

click here to jump down to the apple almond spice cake recipe

1. Prep the pan.

2. Measure dry ingredients.

3. Measure ground ginger & cinnamon.

4. Grate nutmeg – FYI it’s 1/4 the price when you grate it yourself.

5. Have to share my ancient grater – with a little spot to hold the nutmeg.

6. Then close it up – as you can see I could mount this on the wall if I was so inclined – I go back and forth on the subject. Back to the cake.

7. Measure all the dry ingredients onto a piece of waxed paper – it makes it so easy to lift it up and slide it into the bowl.

8. Just like that!

9. Give it a good stir to thoroughly combine.

10. Measure out your almonds.

11. Give them a little toast in a dry pan – careful not to burn them.

12. After they cool, pile them into a food processor.

13. Give ’em a good whiz – remember to reserve 1/3 cup for the topping.

14. Get the wet together and give that a good whisk.

15. Get your apple prepped.

16. Quarter it and grate it on a large-holed grater.

17. Add the wet to the dry.

18. Stir until just combined. See? Just combined!

19. Fold in the nuts.

20. And the grated apple.

21. Stir until evenly mixed – just a few strokes and pour into your prepared pan.

22. Get your topping ingredients in a bowl.

23. Stir it all around and add the olive oil to moisten.

24. Topping ready to go on.

25. Topping on.

26. Carefully spread it to cover the cake evenly and put it in the oven.

27. What a difference an hour makes!

28. Beautiful – now the hard part – we have to wait until it cools before we devour.

29. What a difference another hour makes – apple almond spice cake to enjoy anytime!

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