Apple Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Sauce
2 apples – peeled, cored and chopped
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter a 9 inch round cake pan or 9 1/2 inch springform pan.
2. Using a fork, work flour with brown sugar and butter in a large bowl until crumbly. Stir in nuts. Divide mixture in half. Evenly press half into pan bottom to form a crust.
3. Stir baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into remaining crumb mixture until blended, then make a well in the center. In a small bowl, lightly beat egg with sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Fold in apples.
4. Evenly spread batter over crumb mixture. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out fairly clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. If top gets too brown before cake is baked, lightly lay a piece of foil over top for last 10 to 20 minutes of baking. Cool in pan on a rack. Serve with Brown Sugar Sauce. Cake keeps well at room temperature for a day. Covered, it freezes well and is easily cut while still frozen.
Brown Sugar Sauce
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup cold milk
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Melt butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. In a medium-size bowl, stir flour with sugar. Then whisk into melted butter until mixture is moistened. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook; whisking frequently, until thickened and smooth; about 5 minutes. Stir in brandy and vanilla. Remove from heat.
Serve right away over cake or cover and refrigerate for a week or more. Reheat just before serving