It’s definitely Fall, one way I can tell the weather has changed, is that I have my oven on all the time. Here in California our Summers are HOT and I avoid baking and cooking inside at all costs. But, as soon as is cools down, I’m baking up a storm.  

I like to have treats ready for my family after school or if we decide to have company over at the last minute. This moist coffee cake will be a perfect pair to a cup of coffee with friends. I love to entertain, but I’m kind of a last minute inviter. I just get itchy to have guests and I don’t give myself much time to prepare. So, that’s why I keep a well stocked pantry and something baked on hand most of the time. 

I was given the challenges to come up with an original recipe that showcases seasonal produce paired with my favorite grains. The Grain Foods Foundation has a great web resource called Grains for Your Brain. Not only does the site have lots of great grain centered recipes, but there’s lots of valuable information about the benefits of having grains in your diet.

Pumpkin is my go to Fall ingredient. And this year I got a whole box of apples from my parent’s tree in North Cal. I love eating produce that is in season and I know where it’s been grown. I’ve been using these crisp, sweet apples in all kinds of recipes. A couple weeks ago I sauteed a bunch of the apples in a little butter and brown sugar and used them as a topping for pumpkin pancakes.

Pumpkin Apple Coffee Cake
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup veg. oil
2 cups apples, peeled and chopped
Combine first six dry ingredients in a bowl.  Beat eggs with a fork, add pumpkin, vanilla and oil.  Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients.  Stir until just combined and then add the apple right at the end.  Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour a bundt pan. Pour batter into the prepared pan (it is really thick). To with the crumb mixture.  Bake at 350F for 35 to 40 mins.

Crumb Topping
1/4 cup flour
1/4 rolled oats1/2 cold butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 brown sugar

Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse meal. 

Dust the cake with a generous amount of powdered sugar, really just because it looks pretty. The crumb topping becomes a crunchy surprise on the bottom of each slice. 

This is a sponsored post and I was compensated for my participation. But, the opinions expressed here are my own.