Autumn Streusel Cake

Many of my decisions stem from indecision and this cake sure is one of those.  I simply wanted to make a zucchini cake, but also felt compelled to bake with the various other ingredients staring at me in the kitchen... voila!  A new recipe is born.

Although it was sunny and hot this weekend as soon as the 'burrrrrr' hits (any month ending in 'ber') I want to eat warm and comforting foods.  This cake is definitely comforting and trust me, it's great warm... I tried to let it cool completely and just couldn't!  It is so moist due to all the fruits and veggies packed inside and is great with or without the oat streusel topping.  Because of the ingredients and the humidity I'm storing this cake in the fridge, but it tastes best warm or at room temperature.  If you were to skip the streusel and frost it with some maple cream cheese frosting, it would be awesome right out of the fridge.

My Autumn Streusel Cake

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup spelt flour (or use another 1/4 cup of ww pastry flour)
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tbsp flax seeds
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp minced crystallized ginger
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable (or canola or corn) oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 cup shredded zucchini
6 pitted dates, chopped fine
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Streusel Topping

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oats (I used quick cooking)
2 tbsp shelled roasted, unsalted pumpkin seeds

Glaze

1/2 cup icing (confectioner's) sugar
1 tsp real maple syrup (optional) or pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8-inch square cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.  In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, oil, applesauce, carrot, zucchini, dates, cranberries and ginger.  Beat well with a wooden spoon and set aside.  In another large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices and mix together well.  Pour in the wet ingredients all at once and stir together just to combine, do not overmix.  Scrape batter into prepared pan and make the struesel topping.

To make the topping, combine all ingredients and mix with a fork (or like me, your hand) until large crumbles form.  Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.  As soon as cake comes out of the oven, drizzle glaze over top.

To make the glaze, combine the icing sugar, maple syrup (if using) and hot water in a small bowl with a spoon.  Drizzle over hot cake.  Let cake cool on a wire rack.

I hope you enjoy this taste of fall and remember, since there is oatmeal in it, it counts as breakfast!