Caramelized Apple Cider Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 350ºF and lightly grease two loaf pans or an 8×8 baking pan with oil or grass-fed butter, and set aside.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add about 1 tablespoon of whichever oil you are using in the recipe. Chop apple into cubes, about 1/4 or 1/4-inch thick all the way around. Add apples to pan and sauté until they soften just a bit and edges turn a dark brown caramel color. Remove from heat and allow them to cool slightly.

For the cake, in a large mixing bowl, combine olive oil, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, eggs, cider, kefir, and apple cider vinegar. Use a stand mixer or handmixer to beat wet ingredients on high until consistency is smooth and homogenous. Set aside while you combine the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, stir flour, baking powder, sea salt, and spices until well-combined. No lumps should remain! Slowly add dry ingredients into wet, mixing after each small addition. Stop mixing when all the flour is incorporated. Set aside while you prepare the crumble.

For the crumble, in a small bowl, melt grass-fed butter and stir in sugar and flour until just combined. Do not over-mix! Refrigerate until firm, about 10–12 minutes.

If you’re using two loaf pans, pour 1/4 of the batter into each pan and top with a small handful of the crumble and caramelized apples. Divide the remaining half of the batter between the two pans and again, top with a handful of the crumble and the rest of the caramelized apples.

If you’re using one 8×8 baking pan, pour half the batter into the pan, followed by half the crumble and half the caramelized apples. Pour the rest of the batter on top, and then repeat with the crumble and caramelized apples. (It’s important to note that in this larger pan, the bake time will likely be longer. I’d recommend baking this at 350ºF for 20 minutes, and then reducing the temperature to 325ºF and baking for 26–28 minutes. Check the consistency with a toothpick at 26 minutes—if it comes out very moist, continue baking and check again at 28 minutes.)

Bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes, and then reduce temperature to 325ºF and bake for 22–24 minutes. Remove from oven when a toothpick poked through the center of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs/a bit of moisture on it.

Let cool completely before slicing. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up two weeks, or in the freezer for up to two months. Enjoy!