In loaf form, for the ease of thick slices. Move over lemon loaf. (Even though I love a lemon loaf.) The fine rubble of butter, sugar, flour and crushed macadamia nuts is layered in strips inside the soft apple cake. The top of the loaf is iced with a thick glaze made of powdered sugar, cinnamon, and apple cider. And since you'll have some macadamia crumble left over, it will be liberally sprinkled down the side of the iced loaf, sticking to it and making it beautiful.
But not too beautiful to savor.
Notes: Neutral oil is organic, non-GMO canola.
ICED MACADAMIA CRUMBLE APPLE CAKE
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. sea salt, two large eggs at room temperature, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 3/4 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup neutral oil, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 cup grated apple, moisture squeezed out (about one large). For the crumble: 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 3 tbsp. melted butter, 1/3 cup crushed macadamia nuts, 1/4 cup sugar. For the icing: 1 2/3 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 3 tbsp. apple cider.
Makes one standard loaf.
1. Preheat oven to 350* and grease and line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper. 2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the yogurt, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and oil together. 3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until smooth. Fold in the grated apple.
4. Make the crumble by combining the ingredients in a food processor. Alternatively, chop the nuts into tiny bits, then stir the ingredients together until you have a rubble-like consistency.
5. Spread 1/3 of the batter into the loaf pan, then sprinkle over about 1/3 of the macadamia crumble. Repeat with the second third of the batter and crumble. Finish with a layer of batter, but reserve the remaining crumble to the side. Bake loaf for 50-55 minutes until a tester comes out clean. If browning too quickly near the end, lay over a piece of foil. Cool completely.
7. Make the icing: Whisk the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and apple cider together until the icing is smooth and thickly pourable. Remove the cake using the parchment paper and place it on a platter. Pour the icing down the center of the cake and allow it to spread over the top and down the sides. Sprinkle immediately with the remaining macadamia crumble down one side of the cake. Allow the icing to dry before slicing. TIPS
A food processor makes getting the crumble (and nuts) crushed and mixed simple. I processed the nuts first, added the rest of the crumble ingredients, and pulsed until it formed soft rubble.
Squeeze the moisture out of the grated apple by grasping it in a clean (thin) kitchen towel and squeezing it out over the sink. This helps the cake not have too much moister and sink in the middle.