Apples by the bushel have finally started showing up in my local grocery store and farmers markets. I will be the first to admit it- I’m a complete apple snob. I grew up in upstate NY, home of some of the best tasting apples around. We used to go apple picking several times each fall at our local apple orchard and I probably ate at least half a dozen apples straight off the tree each time. I have spent most of my adult life in Massachusetts and it can be a bit difficult to find really good apples around here…I find most taste like mush compared to the apples of my youth.* However, I have found a few varietals at various vendors at farmers markets that can come close to my beloved Beak & Skiff apples. And when it comes to baking with apples, my apple palate is not quite as particular. 
As we approach the end of September, our family is finally falling into the routine of our new school year. T is attending his second year of nursery school in the afternoon four days a week. We spend our mornings taking a walk, going to various activities, or running errands. After I drop T off at school, N usually naps for a couple hours which allows me to catch up around the house and sometimes even start dinner. This week, I was even able to find the time to make this Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake. I’ve been buying up apples right and left around here in the search of delicious apples and now I have an entire fridge drawer devoted to them. It’s also “Apple Week” at T’s nursery school so I knew he would love to try some apple cake for his after-school snack. 
Last year, T went to morning preschool and since N was a bit younger, he took both a morning and afternoon nap. I used to spend those school mornings doing my catch-up work which has been shifted to the afternoon. I tend to hit a wall during that post-lunch and have started using my Keurig again for an afternoon cup of coffee to keep my energy level up. Nothing pairs better with coffee than a warm, delicious slice of cake! I paired my Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake with a cup of coffee flavored with International Delight’s Sweet Cream coffee creamer. A perfect afternoon treat! 
- 1 and ½ cups brown sugar
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups peeled and chopped apples (approximately 5 medium apples)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9x13 pan. In a large mixing bowl, add in all ingredients through the chopped apples. Mix thoroughly and pour cake batter into the greased pan. Smooth into pan with the back of a spoon or spatula.
- Meanwhile, mix together sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a small bowl with a fork. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over batter.
- Bake cake for 40 minutes or until set.
Source: Adapted from Pinch of Yum Here are some more 2S2C apple-inspired recipes from the archive:
*If I ever start a band, I am totally calling it Apples of My Youth. Don’t even try taking it. 
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.
