applesauce cake

Owen received a book titled "Owen" for his birthday this year.

Upon Owen's introduction we learn he loves, "Ice cream, peanut butter and applesauce cake". For applesauce cake to be listed so nonchalantly along with these other childhood staples I felt for a moment as though I hadn't quite fulfilled my motherly expectations by not knowing how to make one. That's when I stumbled upon Anna Olson's recipe for Applesauce Coffee Cake in my Another Cup of Sugar cookbook. Well, there isn't anything more delicious than a streusel topping, so it didn't take long for me to bake up my first ever Applesauce Cake!

And, wow, what a stunner! This loaf is great in the same way banana bread is. Besides what sets it apart (doesn't require any fresh produce - which is great), I'm treating it like a banana bread and eating it as a breakfast & dessert. It has the familiar applesauce taste but a coffee cake dessert-like quality. The house became so fragrant with spices while baking I can image it's perfect for those apple picking days before Thanksgiving. 

I love loaves and muffins that don't require room temperature butter that needs to be beaten. I need simplicity when I bake at a moments notice (i.e. during naps) this recipe required ingredients I already had right on hand. This Applesauce Coffee Cake not only fits the bill, it exceeds any other dessert loaf I've made before.