honey

HONEY APPLE CRUMB CAKE (GLUTEN-AND-DAIRY-FREE) /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

it’s been a while! i guess that seems to be a theme around here recently. since covid the dynamics have shifted and mutated, turned upside down, then right side up, and then back again. and with ames starting zoom pre-k a few weeks ago, our roles have shifted once more. so i’ve hit the pause button on all things work for the time being. but! i’m popping in here quick to share this spiced honey and apple cake that’s super cozy, and perfect for celebrating rosh hashanah this weekend.

this cake in an iteration of this cake from quite a few years ago.. since then, i’ve tweaked the recipe a bit replacing some of the sugar for honey, and replacing the crumble topping altogether with a very large crumble dome (reminiscent of a crumb cake top - so good!). there’s a good bit of cozy spice, too. cinnamon, and nutmeg were my choice here, but you could use whatever you like, really. i call for tart, crisp apples; anything too sweet and soft won’t hold up very well here, and could quickly make the cake overly sweet. it’s a really easy cake that utilizes a lot of pantry staples, and a few basic ingredients from your fridge. i hope this one makes it into your autumn baking rotation! it’s so good. guys 🥰

honey apple crumb cake | gluten & dairy-free

print the recipe here

| makes one 8-inch round cake |

notes:

  • i call for crisp, tart apples below, some of my favorites include: honeycrisp, gala, braeburn, and pink lady.

  • i also call for plant-based yogurt. this can be a little tricky since a lot of plant-based yogurt consistency’s vary. i used this yogurt, but if you can’t find it i would suggest these: culina or anita’s

INGREDIENTS

crumb topping

  • 1 cup oat flour

  • 1/2 cup monkfruit sweetener (or sweetener of choice)

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • big pinch of fine sea salt

  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil

cake

  • 1 cup brown rice flour

  • 1/2 cup oat flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil

  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar

  • 1/3 cup raw honey

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened plant-based cultured yogurt

  • 1 1/2 crisp tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces

  • confectioner’s sugar, for topping

METHOD

  1. preheat the oven to 350°F, oil an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper; set aside.

  2. make the crumb topping. with a fork, whisk together the flour, sweetener, cinnamon and salt; drizzle in the coconut oil and mix until combined, pop in the refrigerator while you make the cake.

  3. make the cake. in a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; set aside. in another large bowl, use an electric mixer on low to beat together the eggs and oil together; then add the sugar, honey, and vanilla; mix on low until combined. lastly, fold in the yogurt.

  4. 1/3 at a time, add the flour mixture until completely combined.

  5. push apple slices vertically into the cake as far down as they will go. remove the crumb topping from the fridge and use your fingers to break it up a bit into clumps; evenly distribute crumbs over top of the cake.

  6. bake for 50-60 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. remove from oven and place on a rack; let cool completely before removing the sides of the pan and serving. dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

similar recipes:

A SIMPLE PLUM & HAZELNUT TORTE

A SIMPLE PLUM & HAZELNUT TORTE

GRAIN-FREE APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS

GRAIN-FREE APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS

CRANBERRY, LEMON & POPPY SEED CAKE

CRANBERRY, LEMON & POPPY SEED CAKE

Maca Almond Butter & Sweet Potato Toast /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i'm a bit sleep deprived here so i'm going to keep it short for today.  amesy has been going through what our doctor and the internet have called the "4-month sleep regression" and before this past week i would have told you that there's way too much info out there, and that babies will be babies.  but something has woken in him, LITERALLY!  motherhood is definitely challenging me these days, and sometimes i feel completely inadequate at it while also trying to work full time.  (and don't get me started on the whole hormone thing, that's been a beast.) being pulled to be present in two places at once has it's challenges, and the end result has me feeling like i'm not doing well in either category.  so i'm making some changes around here to take some of the pressure off. 

when i first started this space i drew so much inspiration from vegetables, fruits, food in general (and i still do).   i love taking photos of the process of each recipe.  i loved (and still love) styling food and props in beautiful ways, testing my skills behind the camera, and getting the shot that i foresaw in my head.  the creative process behind recipe development, styling, executing, editing, and then putting the finished product here - i couldn't love my job any more!  i knew having a baby, and wanting to raise him myself, would shift that process a little, but i've found that it completely changes the process. and so, for now, i don't foresee a lot of heavy styling, or a lot of process shots in my posts.  i hope you all won't think they're too bland or boring, or be looking for something that i'm not able to give at this time.  i keep hope that this new way of doing things will give way to another form of creating, one that i haven't yet explored. but in the meantime here's my go-to, hormone-aiding maca almond butter and a piece of toast.  whenever i make homemade nut butter i like playing with the flavor a bit, whether it's a dash of cinnamon or some other spice, but i've been adding maca to everything for extra balance and energy boost.  plus, the flavor of maca is really great.  think somewhere in the realm of burnt, earthy caramel, but in powder form.  i can't get enough.

so this toast.  i made it the other week since seeing a version of it here. it's basically a piece of your favorite bread (or bagel), toasted, slathered with this all-star cream cheese, topped with cinnamon-roasted sweet potato chunks, drizzled with maca almond butter and honey, and topped with crunchy cacao nibs.  it's the perfect crunchy/squishy, sweet/tangy, balance for a humble piece of toast.  xo's

and if you haven't checked out these beautiful posts from across the web yesterday.  it's a series of blog posts called, #immigrantfoodstories put together by kimberly hasselbrink .  i couldn't get my stuff in order in time to participate, but please give these a read and check out the lovely recipes posted :)

Maca Almond Butter & Sweet Potato Toast 

i used sprouted almonds here just because they're easier for me to digest, but un-sprouted will work here just fine.  you could also experiment with another nut like walnuts or cashews.

| makes about 1 cup of maca almond butter |

  • 3 cups raw almonds 
  • 1 tablespoon maca powder
  • a few pinches pink sea salt (or regular sea salt)

toast (makes extra sweet potatoes)

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 tablespoon unrefined extra-virgin coconut oil, melted
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 slice gluten free bread
  • dairy-free cream cheese (i use this one)
  • maca almond butter
  • runny honey or maple syrup, to taste
  • cacao nibs, to garnish

method

  1. in a food processor fitted with a metal "s" blade, blend the almonds until smooth, about 7-8 minutes.  add the maca and a few pinches of salt and blend once more until fully incorporated.  store in a lidded jar in the refrigerator.  
  2. preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
  3. in a medium sized bowl, toss together the potatoes, coconut oil, cinnamon, and salt.  transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking sheet and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, turning them halfway through, until the edges are crisp and lightly browned.  remove from the oven and set aside.
  4. toast a slice of bread, spread a good amount of cream cheese over the bread, add about 1/3 cup sweet potatoes, drizzle on maca almond butter and honey, and top with cacao nibs.

similar recipes:

macadamia ricotta & black currant jam on toast

macadamia ricotta & black currant jam on toast

cilantro & hemp salad on toast

cilantro & hemp salad on toast

spicy sweet potato & avocado sammie

spicy sweet potato & avocado sammie

homemade pomegranate honey /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i've recently made a small, personal resolution to take more photos, and by photos  i mean ones not taken on my iphone.  when i met my husband he was an assistant cameraman, part-time cinematographer, and a freelance film photographer.   as you can imagine i got schooled a bit on all things camera over the first few months we dated, and i loved hearing his firm stance on analog vs. digital.  a few months in, he took another part-time job at the Impossible Project (a company that bought and took over the Polaroid factory in the Netherlands.  if you haven't followed their story, they have formulated a new type of instant film to use in Polaroid cameras and their own device, the Instant Lab - Polaroid never gave Impossible the recipe for the film, so all the ingredients that went into the film had to be reformulated).  

on the weekends we would go out and shoot the instant film, totally making our dates together that much more fun and memorable.  over time (with frank's help) i started my own collection of film cameras and on trips we would often pack more cameras and film than clothes, but we loved it that way, and have a load of pictures that we're super thankful we took.  as life got busier we took less and less photos, we keep saying we need to get back out there, but i guess i'm starting without him.  i recently began using my facebook page as a space to post photos, it's been feeling way good to chill, and take a few minutes to watch a photo process and do its thing.  i'm really looking forward to sharing more with you all! xo

as for this pomegranate honey, i thought the two flavors would be lovely together, and that they totally are!  the sweetness of the honey gets cut a bit from the pomegranate's sour tones. it's also super fun and easy to make your own pom juice!however, if you're not into the pom-honey thang, i must urge you to blend up some pomegranate juice while these beautiful babies are still in season!

homemade pomegranate honey

makes 1/2 cup pomegranate honey

needed:

  • fine mesh sieve
  • blender or food processor
  • large spoon
  • 1 pomegranate (you will have pomegranate juice leftover)
  • 1/2 cup raw honey (or honey of choice)

directions

  • cut pomegranate open, move your fingers around the skin and pulp, pulling gently as to loosen the seeds
  • over a large bowl, flip pomegranate over into your palm and hit the skin with the back of a sturdy spoon.  the seeds should drop out, repeat with other half
  • place pomegranate seeds into your blender fit with a metal blade and blend until there are no longer any seeds with their flesh
  • over the same large bowl, take your fine mesh sieve and transfer pulsed pomegranate seeds into it.  use the back of your spoon once again to push down and extract as much pomegranate juice as possible; discard the leftover seeds
  • in a jar fitted with a lid, combine the honey and 1 tablespoon of pomegranate juice.  cover, and shake or stir contents until mixed together
  • keep pom-honey in your cabinet or pantry at room temp for a few months

enjoy as a savory glaze, on waffles, pancakes, in your morning porridge or oatmeal, or my favorite, in a cocktail!