my babycakes adventure: Page 58: Apple-Cinnamon Toastie

What is a "toastie" you may ask? I wasn't sure either, but it appears to be a sort of streuselesque tea cake. And this one, as with most BabyCakes goodies (save all cupcakes attempts to date), is fantastic. Toastie is now and forevermore part of our household vocabulary.

The batter for this goodness included applesauce and cinnamon, and you also fold in some roasted apples. Then you make a separate batter derived from the original batter with some extra cinnamon, sugar, and water. You pour the second batter on top of the original batter and swirl it in, thus creating a delicious swirl of streusel throughout the loaf. And a yummy and sweet crunchy streusel top.

Although I think I baked it at least 50% longer than called for, I was patient this time and left it in until the toothpick came out clean. My patience was rewarded and, unlike the banana bread fiasco, it came out perfect. Fluffy, with a lovely balance of apple, cinnamon, and sweetness. And the crunchy streusel top was the best part.

It was wonderful warm... right out of the oven... but we didn't stop there. For dessert we warmed a couple of pieces in the toaster oven and added a scoop of ice cream (soy for me, dairy for the hubby, who actually requested coconut milk which I didn't have but the request still made my day). It tasted similar to an apple crisp and was quite yummy!

The next morning, I stole an idea from the St. Regis Princeville and fried up some slices in a pan with a little bit of earth balance (that's a butter substitute for you not in the vegan-know). This created a sort of apple cinnamon french toast. And it was amaaaazing! Slightly crunchy on the outside but still soft inside with a roasted apple peaking through every once in awhile. I topped it with a homemade cinnamon butter syrup using a recipe from my favorite vegan recipe genius, Morgan at Little House of Veggies. The combination was nothing short of delectable.