By Ann Taylor Pittman, Cooking Light
Don’t be afraid to go 100% whole grain when it comes to dessert; we use all spelt flour here—no refined all-purpose flour—with amazing results. The nutty-tasting flour amplifies the flavors of the butter, warm spices, and vanilla, unlike all-purpose flour, whose rather bland nature would dilute those flavors. Be sure to measure the flour with precision for the best texture; weighing it is ideal. To keep added sugars in check (many Bundt cake recipes call for up to two times more sugar than ours), we look to shredded apples to provide natural sweetness.
Active Time
35 Mins
Total Time
3 Hours 20 Mins
Yield
Serves 16 (serving size: 1 slice)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 vanilla bean pod
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups shredded peeled Honeycrisp or Gala apples (about 3 medium apples)
- 13.5 ounces spelt or whole-wheat flour (about 3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/8 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 3/4 cup evaporated whole milk
- Baking spray with flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar (4 oz.)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp. apple cider
How to Make It
Step 1
Pour oil into a small skillet or saucepan. Split vanilla pod lengthwise; scrape out seeds. Add seeds and pod to oil. Heat over medium just until pod begins to sizzle, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Discard bean pod.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place softened butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add oil mixture. Increase speed to medium, and beat until combined (mixture will not be smooth); scrape down sides of bowl as necessary. Add brown sugar; beat on medium speed until softened and well combined, about 2 minutes. Add eggs; beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Add apples; beat on low speed just until combined.
Step 3
Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add flour mixture and evaporated milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Pour batter into a 10-cup Bundt pan coated with baking spray. Bake at 350°F until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
Step 4
Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Carefully invert cake onto rack; cool completely.
Step 5
Stir together powdered sugar, melted butter, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons cider until mixture is smooth. If mixture is too thick, stir in 1/2 tablespoon cider. Drizzle over cake.
Nutritional Information
- Calories 290
- Fat 13g
- Satfat 4g
- Unsatfat 8g
- Protein 5g
- Carbohydrate 42g
- Fiber 2g
- Sodium 253mg
- Calcium 10% DV
- Potassium 5% DV
- Sugars 24g
- Added sugars 21g
