Apple Cinnamon Spice Cake

Here we are, halfway through October and it is 100 degrees outside. All the other food blogs are full of things with pumpkins, apples and candy corn (not to mention requests for votes - click here to vote for me, okay) and I don't even want to turn the oven on. The only sign of fall around here is the Great California Shakeout.

What is that, you ask?  It is a statewide earthquake drill. Last week, Luke came home with a homework assignment to make an earthquake kit to leave at school.  I glanced at it and cast it aside, not giving it much thought.  Well then when we needed to do the kit, I pulled out the list, read the instructions and nearly hyperventilated. My first thought was that he has no idea what an earthquake is and that the whole discussion might freak him out. He is very literal and somewhat obsessive over what is safe and what is not. Even to his untrained mind, an earthquake would not be on the approved safe list. My second thought was that sending tuna fish and a toothbrush to school might be even scarier to him than the actual earthquake. I mean, seriously, do they know how long he would actually have to be at the school after an emergency to consume two cans of TUNA FISH? A long time. A whole lot longer than the one bottle of water on the list will last, that's for sure. They also wanted us to leave a "comforting note" in there from a parent.  Um, okay. So I confess to the world that we did not do the assignment as directed as the whole thing seemed rather dramatic to me. Instead, I got up early and did the kit in secret and alone. Then I shoved it in his backpack underneath the Lightning McQueen homework folder and can only hope that they are turned in with little fanfare and no discussion.

What does all of this have to do with Apple Cinnamon Spice Cake, you ask? Well, it just seems like the kind of dessert that those baker moms would make for kid to come home to after a tough day learning about earthquakes and hiding under a desk, doesn't it? My friend Kim shared this recipe with me and I'd like to share it with you along with Kim's story which you can read below.

Apple Cinnamon Spice Cake
Recipe by Kim's Sweet Karma

1/2 cup butter, softened
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups chopped peeled tart apples (Rome or Jonathan) (2 apples)

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray 9-inch spring form pan with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed 1 minute or until smooth. Beat in 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and vanilla 1 to 2 minutes or until well-blended and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

2. In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt; stir into butter mixture until well-blended and smooth.

3. In small bowl, stir together remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Place apples in another medium bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon mixture until coated. Stir apples into batter. Pour batter into spring form pan; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cinnamon mixture.

4. Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with some moist crumbs attached and cake pulls away from sides of pan. Cool on wire rack to room temperature.

This can also be made into muffins and/or drizzled with a glaze. If you like nuts, throw some in also! Enjoy!

12 servings

When I met Kim, her sweet daughter was handing out the most delicious cake pops. After talking with Kim a while, she shared the story of her cake pops with me.
I have always had a passion for baking and cupcake making. So when the whole cake pop idea hit, I couldn’t wait to try my hand at them. I wasn’t fond of the “processed” flavor of frosting mixed with the crumbled cake to form a ball so my mom gave me the wonderful gift of a Baby Cakes cake ball baking machine. Ahhh! The solution to my icky flavor problem! My sister and I began by belting out over 800 cake pops as a bake sale fundraiser for our Relay For Life team this past Summer in Napa, CA. $1.50 per pop and we blew out of them in a matter of hours! And so it began… a booming little side business (aside my real estate and mortgage company) named Kim’s Sweet Karma. I will admit, I don’t do the fancy character pops with all the nasty tastes of gum paste and fondant. Just delicious, yummy gourmet flavors. And of course a charity to give back to.
As of October 1, 2011 through January 1, 2012 I donate 20% of all sales and orders to my dear friend, mother of 3 young boys and breast cancer fighter, Alisha Pelt. She was diagnosed a year ago at the age of 28 with stage 4, just as her youngest turned a year old. The portion I donate goes to her Special Needs Fund that covers out of pocket medical expenses. There are so many. But she is always positive, upbeat and cherishes each and every moment of her time with her boys. She is truly an inspiration!
For more information on Kim’s Sweet Karma, please join me on my Facebook page at by clicking here.


If you're in Southern California and need cake pops, please keep Kim in mind and if you'd like to donate to Alisha Pelt's fund, please reach out to Kim on Facebook or email me by clicking here. There is no community more willing to reach out and support another mom than the food blogging community - please keep Alisha and her family in your prayers!

4 comments:

  1. I want to thank you for your support in my ongoing battle with breast cancer! Words cannot express how grateful and blessed I am to have such wonderful friends and family to help me in this difficult time.
    You can follow me as well on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/alisha.pelt

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  2. The cake sounds heavenly!!! And I love the cake pops! How nice for them to be selling them to help out this girl! I read the past few posts and they are really great, especially the one about blog envy. I have the same thing!!! Especially about comments!!! I always try to return the "favor" and visit someone or leave a comment, etc. Love your blog and your recipes. I'll go vote!!!

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  3. Thanks so much, Walking on Sunshine! Welcome to my little corner.... Thanks for the kind words and the vote. I really appreciate it!

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  4. How perfect w/ a cup of coffee on a fall day! Thanks for sharing at Church Supper! Have a blessed week :)

    Everyday Mom's Meals

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