Apple Cinnamon Cake

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, so says the old proverb. I've been on an apple kick lately, eating my way to dozens of apple cores in the last month. I ate apples with sandwiches instead of chips. I ate apples whenever I had the inkling for a snack. I ate apples before I sat down to meals, and then after. I'm an apple nut.

Though I haven't been sleeping as much as I should, I've stayed healthy and well. So does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? To settle the age old question, I'd have to say yes. Who knew it was actually true?

The first awkward bite into a ripe apple makes my heart sing. The wide open mouth, the loud crunch, the sweet juice rushing to light up the taste buds—it's a marvelous experience. I love trying different varieties of apples simply to discover their own unique qualities. When I'm looking for a sweet apple, I choose a Golden Delicious. I'd argue Gala apples are the most balanced—slightly sweet, slightly sour, neither virtue overcoming the other. However, one apple has captured my attention in a way no other apple has before. Every year, I anxiously await the moment when the produce department of my local supermarket gives them a seasonal home.

I am talking about the glorious, almighty Honeycrisp apple.

I don't even care that they tend to be the most expensive apples in the store. I've gladly handed over my pocketbook for a dozen of these and I'll do it again. They are worth every penny.

My mother warned me to stave off my apple cravings until my grandmother's apple tree ripened, but I couldn't help myself. Every year, after the apples have been picked, my grandma sends out boxes of apples to the entire family. We picked up ours a week ago and I've been planning ways to use them ever since (my grandmother's tried and true applesauce recipe will be coming your way soon. Keep your eyes peeled!).

However, this Apple Cinnamon Cake was on this year's list long before the the apples on my grandmother's tree turned red. I've made this cake every fall for the last three years and it's quickly become an autumn tradition in my home. I hope you give this cake a chance to become a tradition of your own.

This Apple Cinnamon Cake is layered with beautiful depth of flavor. A nutty, sweet whole wheat cake is interrupted with layers of cinnamon-coated apples. The apples give the cake an unbelievable moistness and density you have to taste to believe. A light dusting of powdered sugar really sets this cake off right. This is a good cake to enjoy with a cup of coffee and a fall afternoon.

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Pear & Almond Chocolate Spice Cake

Fall is in full swing. The air is brisk and the season of long knit scarves is here. Some days I feel as if I need to wear two just to keep my insides warm and toasty. I don't mind the chill of fall; as a matter of fact, I love the cool frost of autumn just until the leaves finish changing and fall, crumpled, at the bottom of the tree. Fall begins to wear on me as soon as the weatherman starts bringing up a certain four letter s-word.

You know, snow.

When the ground is littered with autumn leaves, I'm always reminded of my favorite fall flavors. Certainly pumpkin, ginger, and cinnamon top the list, but another, perhaps more subtle flavor, captures my heart. I am, of course, talking about pears. Early fall marks the beginning of pear season. Although pears are available year round, October is the month where pears truly start to radiate with beauty.

Recently, I have fallen in love with Bosc pears. They remind me of still life paintings—forbidden to touch, but beautiful to admire. I was afraid for many years to hold them (as silly as this sounds), because they didn't look real to me. The color, a natural cinnamon kissed brown, and the shading was just so. They stuck out in the supermarket like a sore thumb, fantasy juxtaposed against a consumer reality, and I danced around them, choosing the Bartlett or Green Anjou instead.

Last fall, while perusing a farmer's market, I came across a newly ripened batch. The necks and stems were long and graceful, with no unsightly marks in sight. I was drawn to these pears and they followed me around the market, as if they knew it was time we both sat down at a table together. I bought them, wrapped them carefully against the cold, and gave them a home on my kitchen counter. It was love of the edible sort.

Pear and chocolate have consistently been one of my favorite combinations. When I saw this cake from Honey & Jam, I knew I had to make it. When inspiration strikes, it strikes hard. Less than a few hours later, I could be found at the store, admiring the selection of pears, no longer afraid to reach for the alluring Bosc.

This Pear & Almond Chocolate Spice Cake holds the essence of fall in each slice. Chocolate cake batter is spiced with cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg, before diced pears and chopped almonds are folded into the batter. The cake bakes up with a fragrant smell that will linger long after the cake leaves the oven. As the cake cools, a pear cider glaze is poured over the top, which gives the cake a brilliant sheen and a flavor that soaks deep into the cake. If you love pears as I do, this cake will leave you feeling warm and content after a walk in the cool outdoors.

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Pumpkin Granola

It's officially the first day of fall! Though I was dreading its arrival, now that it's here I'm quite pleased to wrap up in warm sweaters and drink hot tea. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought autumn had arrived two weeks ago. With the mercury falling down to chilly temperatures (especially in the early morning hours), I've started wrapping myself in winter coats, hats, gloves, and scarves only to shed them all in the afternoon when the sun is out (and feel a bit of a fool carrying my huge jacket down the streets).

Though, I will never love the arduous process of scraping the frost off my car windows before the sun leisurely decides to climb out of bed. Three weeks into September and it's already begun (goodness gracious).

Fall has always felt like the most relaxing season of the year. The earth and those who dwell in it seem to slow as the temperatures drop. Though it's the season of school and work, extra activities and projects, and settling back into a daily routine, I feel like we take more time to enjoy simpler things, like a bowl of hot soup or the warmth of a roaring fireplace. In the winter, we hibernate. In the spring, our spirits awaken from our long, sleepy nap. In summer, we rush to fit in as much as we can while the weather is warm and the sun is bright.

In fall, we calm down and stretch our limbs. We yawn, but we're not yet ready for a long winter's sleep. We just want a few more minutes observing the changing of the trees, enjoying the steam from a mug of hot cider, before we slip on our pajamas and climb into bed.

Fall flavors, to me, are simply the most comforting flavors of the year—rich pumpkin, spicy cinnamon, ripe apples, warm cider, fresh squash, hints of nutmeg, and large mugs of hot cocoa. The aromas alone are enough to send me to my happy place; a single bite will send me to my heaven.

And I think, if you had a spoonful of this granola, you would know exactly what I mean.

This Pumpkin Granola embraces fall and all its flavors. This granola is fall. Stuffed with feel good healthy foods like dried cranberries, raisins, coconut flakes, almonds, and pumpkin seeds, this granola is sure to please any season-ready palate. My favorite part of this granola is that is does not have butter or oil to hold it together—the pumpkin does that for you. Sweetened with hints of maple syrup and brown sugar, this granola holds the perfect texture. Make this to celebrate the arrival of fall. Make it so you can remember all the reasons why you love autumn.

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