Friday, November 23, 2012

THB : Apple-Walnut Mosaic Coffee Cake

The Home Bakers (THB)'s first bake was on 3rd April 2012, it has been eight months and 11 bakes since then. Our 12th bake today, shall be the last bake for the year 2012. THB is taking a well-deserved break in December and we shall be back again continuing on with the book that we are currently baking from, "Coffee Cakes" by Lou Seibert Pappas, in January 2013.  December will be a busy month full of fun festivities and holidays. It's time to be with family and loved ones! And of course, the Christmas shopping! (I'm hoping that Santa will take a peek at my Wishlist over at Amazon, hahaha!) A very Big Thank You to all the lovely members of THB for the support and wonderful bakes these past 8 months where we have completed 12 recipes from the book! That's 48 more to go! We sure had fun, didn't we, ladies? More to come in 2013! 

For our 12th bake today, this delightful Apple-Walnut Mosaic Coffee Cake was chosen by the lovely Michelle from Piece of Cake. Michelle has proven to be a talented baker and cook, and one very organized baker! Drop by Piece of Cake, make a new friend if you have not met her already! 



The cake was originally meant to be baked in a tube pan. Upon receiving tips from Mich who has baked this cake weeks in advance (told you she is organized!), that the cake is very crumbly and advise to bake this in cupcake form. So I did. And with a few changes too. I noticed that the amount of apples is way too much, and Mich did confirmed that as well, so I have cut down the amount of apples drastically! I made half a recipe which calls for 3 cups of chopped apples, which I have reduced to 1 cup only, finely chopped. Other changes I've made is to replace 1/2 cup of the whole-wheat flour to all-purpose flour as I wanted a lighter cake since there are so many ingredients in this bake. I used 1/4 cup of walnuts and reduce the brown sugar to a scant 1/2 cup, and 1/3 cup of dried cranberries. 



Even with the reduction in the quantity of ingredients, they do seem quite a lot for the batter that seems so little! This amount yields exactly 6 standard-size cupcakes. It smells incredibly nice while baking, and bakes up perfectly. 



The cake is moist, not-too-sweet and very tasty.



I love the dried cranberries that gives a lovely tangy bite to the moist cake. The funny thing when I first bite into this cake, it tastes like I'm eating banana cake! And I am not the only one, my daughter thought that I had added in mashed bananas. Much later in the evening, my son ate one, and I asked him does he know what cake I've made, he answered me "Banana Cupcake".  Hahaha! Now where do this "banana" come from? :)

Please do visit Mich from Piece of Cake for the full recipe. To view the other members bake on this cake,  drop by The Home Bakers (THB).



Welcome to The Home Bakers


THB is currently baking from Coffee Cakes by Lou Seibert Pappas, if you would like to join in and be a member of THB, please email me at kitchenflavours@yahoo.com



20 comments:

  1. Hi Joyce
    An apple walnut coffee cake turn out after baked becomes banana cake! ! I like apple in bakes, I like walnut too...oh I should try this one day since this is a soft cake .

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  2. how come taste like banana? they just had some banana ice cream is it? hehe..i agree with you that this is such a moist and tasty cake..infact i think i sort of getting used to lou's style of coffee cakes, actually quite unusual from the cake keeper style cakes, right? flavour and texture..yes, THB needs a break, me too! will be posting mine tomorrow. i also want to create a book wishlist like you..err do i need to give santa my amazon password?

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  3. Oh banana taste??? Kekeke... I hv yet to try mine... Will do so this wkend:)) hope it will b a keeper too!!

    Arh, me too.. Hope Santa pop by my hm too... Yet to get e books I mentioned to u den... Kk let's wish Santa will come by this Xmas w our pressie:))

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  4. Ahh..now I know the secret. If I don't have bananas but want a banana cake, I just substitute with apples and cinnamon..lol..sure or not it tasted like banana cake? make some more and send over..I'll be the judge of this..keekekekee

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  5. i'm getting squeezed with many "homeworks" i havent done, and requests from kids on what i shuld bake
    with the long school holiday, it's tougher to find free time to bake
    will definitely find time to bake this one, Joyce, i love apple cakes :)
    thanks for giving so long time for us to post hehehehe....

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  6. I really love the idea of making this on muffin tins; much better for the 2 of us.

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  7. I love these coffe cakes look delicious!!

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  8. Hi, Joyce, I saw this from Mich's place so I must drop by here to check on your version too, hahaha! I think I can finish all these cupcakes by myself, hahaha!

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  9. Ha.. I'll ask wife to use apple if she cannot get apple next time! :)

    Nice cake btw!

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  10. Hi Joyce! I am so glad to your family enjoyed this bake... sometimes its not easy to choose recipe, so really so relieved that this recipes tastes good :p I think I like the cake with reduced amount of apples, or I would feel like I'm eating nothing but apples. I love your last picture with all that beautiful red cranberries peeking out, looks like rubies, so very pretty! It's been wonderful being part of THB and baking along with all of you.... looking forward to more bakes next year :)

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  11. I just had dried pomegranates, and I bet they would taste awesome in these great muffins!

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  12. The crainberries in these cakes are calling my name. I heard them say "eat me" hahaha

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  13. Wow! Yours looks so lovely & different from mine. At least yours can see mosaic , mine how to say... a bit hitam & can't see much! LOL I've made a TINY mistake in one of the ingredient ! Old liao mann, need my glasses at all time I suppose! Nevertheless this is a very nice cake & love the cranberries in it. Have a lovely weekend, Joyce! :)

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  14. Joyce , I'm sure that calls for baking some banana cupcakes/ muffins later ?! lol Love the tangy cranberries in that moist and moreish cake ......

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  15. Hi Joyce,

    Mich told me about her experience with this cake prior my bakes but I'm a little curious with the outcome and choose to use the full amount of apples as suggested... Lucky, my cake is intact and managed to get a nice mosaic design :D

    Banana cake! LOL! You boy is so funny. I think this cake tastes more like apple pie.

    Zoe

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  16. Hi Joyce! I'm sure your boy is craving for some banana cakes! Your cupcakes look lovely and have such a pretty dome!

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  17. Hi Joyce,

    I like the way your cupcakes look so moist and soft :) interestingly, special flavoured banana taste for an apple coffee cake which probably lingered from our last banana macadamia nut cake ;P

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  18. My husband is going to love this one. I took note of your changes and will keep them in mind.

    Life has been hectic but I don't want to miss out on this one. I will let you know as soon as I hopefully get it baked, cupcake style.

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