Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Apple Cake-Muffins

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I was having an apple cake craving on my bus ride home from school.. yes.. that's right school in the summer..fun right?. I got home and the first thing I did was chop up apples. The thing with last minute cravings is that sometimes you don't always have all the ingredients you need and have to improvise. Umm I don't exactly like to do that because sour cream and yogurt aren't really the same.. right? Since many bakers have substituted yogurt for sour cream with sucess, I decided to give it a try. The substitutions didn't end there because I only had one container of yogurt left so I topped the rest off with milk. I also omitted the extra egg yolk because I didn't feel like accumulating extra stuff in my freezer. Then I assembled everything in my muffin pan instead of a 9 inch and crossed my fingers that this would still taste good after all these changes. I like to use muffin pans to reduce baking time and for faster turnover because having to take a knife out proves to be too much work for my family.

Edit. I forgot to add that these were a bigger hit with my family than me. The topping was really good with the cinnamon, nutmeg, apples and brown sugar and the cake part had a nice tang with the yogurt. I thought the texture was good just when they were completely cool, but a few hours later, the fluffiness disappeared and it was denser. I'm not sure if it's because of the moisture from the apples or the yogurt itself..hmm.. I think I'm going to try baking with yogurt more often.

Original recipe here

Adapted recipe (since I made so many changes, I thought it would be neater to just post the adapted recipe)

Apple Cake

Ingredients
Apples:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tbsp dark brown sugar (I reduced it significantly)
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
4 medium-large apples, cut into chunks

Cake:
1/4 cup yogurt + 1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust a rack to the center position. Butter a muffin tin well so that the apples won't stick
2. For the apples: Place the butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and apples in a large heavy-duty skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the apples have softened slightly and the juices are thickened and syrupy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and divide evenly in muffin pan.

For the cake:
1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt
2. Combine yogurt and milk in a measuring cup
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes
4. Add egg and continue creaming until well combined
5. Alternately add flour and liquid mixture on low speed until flour disappears
6. Divide batter evenly ontop of apples and spread out evenly
7. Bake 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean
8. Cool on a baking rack for 10 minutes
9. Loosen the sides of the muffins using a knife and place a jelly roll pan on top of the muffin pan and invert so that all 12 muffins flip over at the same time.
10. Transfer cakes to cooling rack to cool completely.

34 comments:

  1. Cute! I love baked apple treats.

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  2. I often substitute sour cream for yogourt in my baking. I always have great results. I like you muffins pan idea.

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  3. Well, it looks smashing. Did you like it?? Hope so.

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  4. LOL! I agree its too much work. :)

    So, did they taste good?!
    ~ingrid

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  5. So pretty! I love that you came home from school and started baking. That's so cool.

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  6. Looks great to me! I actually have an apple tree in my yard, so when my apples are ready in a few months I am definitely going to make these.

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  7. So how did it taste?? It looks good!

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  8. these look delicious. I say you made the right substitutions :)

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  9. Oooh. That's literally the first thing I said when I came to your post. These look wonderful! I'm laughing because I tend to stick to the recommended dairy product - so I have different versions of the same recipe (like blueberry cake)- one that uses buttermilk, one that uses sour cream, etc. etc. You're so good at experimenting!

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  10. Ohhhh! so cute and perfect. I love it. You are sooo creative.

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  11. It sure makes for a great pictue with all of those apple chunks. I would have been happy to taste test this for you :)

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  12. I love subbing yogurt and fruit purees for butter in baking :) It takes some experimenting but I love it! :)

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  13. that is one vibrant picture!! beautiful!! I love this idea, thank so much for sharing!!

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  14. I like using a muffin pan too because it is faster and then the portions are a small size.
    These look great.
    I love baking with yogurt.

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  15. Baking with yogurt is a great thing. I prefer greek yogurt as it's thicker and creamier.

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  16. I love this recipe! My hubby would flip if i made him this!

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  17. Wow! I love your muffins. They sound perfectly delicious.

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  18. I'm was on the wavelength too, I made apple spice bars. These look so delicious too!

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  19. I think my family is the same way. Muffins go a lot quicker than slicing bread or cake haha Looks great!

    No job yet, although I have been slacking on the job search. Are you taking summer classes or do you go all year?

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  20. My family usually likes things I make more than I do. We're our worst critics!!

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  21. Hey Steph, how are you? I have been reading all my favorite blogs which includes you but just have not been commenting due to time. You are still baking up a storm, good for you. I am cooking but recipes have just not been great enough to share.
    These look really yummy. I never get that far with apples, I just love them sauteed with butter brown sugar and cinnamon.
    That is funny about the frying pan.

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  22. Oooh apple cake muffins sound delicious. They look very, very good.

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  23. I would love to try and use, apples made this way in a bran muffin. Just made me think of it when I saw that wonderful photo. Sorry you didn't like it, I get that way too.

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  24. Sorry that I’ve been an absent commenter; I just finished up my law school exams and am finally getting around to my google reader. I'm loving the look of these apple cupcakes. So glad the fam loved them!

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  25. I've never met a baked apple dessert I didn't love. And this one looks spectacular. I think I'd be lining up with your family begging you for more!

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  26. Yum - that photo is delectable, Steph! And I love the tangy flavour of yogurt in baking - not surprised that you enjoyed it. Too bad about the texture afterwards, though.

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  27. Those look so good though... too bad they weren't as stellar as you hoped!

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  28. I love apple treats! Sorry these weren't a favorite!

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  29. Ok, so I leave for a bit... and you become this mad scientist of baking deliciousness. Remember back when you were afraid to go astray with recipes? And now look at you... oh my goodness I'm proud :)

    Miss ya too Steph. School? I thought you were all done?

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  30. So cute! Looks like the perfect way to start the day.

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  31. I'm always making apple cakes or apple muffins, I'll have to try this -- I really like the apples on top yum!

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