Shelly's Recipe

LEMON APPLE STREUSEL CAKE

Category: Cakes from Cake Mixes

Streusel:
1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds (see note)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup diced fresh apple (1 small)

Cake:
1 pkg plain yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant lemon pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
1 tbsp butter
1 to 2 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350. Generously grease and flour a Bundt pan (Joan uses Pam). Set the pan aside.

For the streusel, place the almonds, brown sugar, melted butter, flour, cinnamon, and apple in a medium bowl, and stir to combine well. Set the streusel aside.

For the cake, place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and juice in a large bowl and beat for two minutes, or until the are well combined. Spoon half of the batter into the pan. Carefully spoon two-thirds of the reserved streusel in a ring on top of the batter, keeping it away from the sides and the center of the pan. Spoon the remaining batter on top of the streusel. Spoon the remaining streusel in a ring on the batter, again not touching the sides or center. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake the cake until it is golden brown and tests done, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven to a rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan, and invert the cake onto a serving plate. While it cools, prepare the glaze.

For the glaze, place the confectioners sugar in a small mixing bowl. Place the butter and milk in a small glass bowl in the microwave on high power for 30 seconds, until the butter melts. Stir in the cinnamon, and stir this mixture into the sugar until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, slice, and serve.

Note: Chop blanched and slivered almonds. Toast them at 350 degrees for 4 to 5 minutes.