If you love cinnamon and apples together, then you’ll love this Chunky Apple Spice Cake! This is the perfect dessert to take to an autumn party or to share at your essential oil class. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all at our fall gathering this year!

Chunky Apple Spice Cake

Servings: 8–10 | Time: 15–20 minutes active; 25–40 minutes inactive | Difficulty: Moderate

Cake Ingredients:

• 1 cup (120 g) white whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp. (8 g) arrowroot powder or cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. (2 g) baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. (1.5 g) salt
• 1/2 tsp. (1 g) allspice
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (142 g) plain greek yogurt
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup (67 g) cane sugar or brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) melted coconut oil
• 2 cups (200 g) peeled and chopped apple (we used Granny Smith, but you could use sweeter apples)
• 2–3 drops cinnamon essential oil
• 1–2 drops clove essential oil
• 1–2 drops nutmeg essential oil
• 1/2 cup (80 g) raisins (optional)

Cinnamon Whipped Cream Ingredients:

• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. (16 g) powdered sugar
• 1–4 toothpicks cinnamon essential oil (add a toothpick at a time until you like the taste)
• 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) vanilla extract

Cinnamon Topping Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. (22.5 g) whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup (40 g) old-fashioned oats
• 3 Tbsp. (37.5 g) coarse cane sugar or brown sugar (not packed)
• 2 Tbsp. (24 g) coconut oil, plus more if needed
• 1 toothpick cinnamon essential oil
• 1/2 cup (50 g) chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour an 8″ × 8″ (20 × 20 cm) baking dish or a round cake pan. We used a 7″ round glass baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, arrowroot powder or cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and allspice until combined.
3. In another bowl, mix together eggs, yogurt, vanilla extract, sugar, and essential oils. Mix until well combined.
4. Melt coconut oil on the stove over low heat.
5. While the coconut oil is melting, peel and finely chop the apples. Toss chopped apples in with the flour mixture. Stir to coat the apples with the flour mixture before they brown. This step helps with evenly dispersing the apples throughout the cake.
6. Pour wet ingredients and melted coconut oil into the flour/apple mixture. Add raisins, if desired, and stir mixture until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, or the cake will turn out dense.
7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan.
8. Bake for 25–40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Thinner cakes require less time than thicker cakes. Our cake (which was on the thicker side) took 35 minutes to cook.
9. Cinnamon Whipped Cream: Whisk the heavy cream until it starts to form stiff peaks. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon essential oil, and whisk for a few seconds to incorporate into the cream. Taste, and stir in more cinnamon essential oil as needed.
10. Crispy Cinnamon Topping: In another bowl, stir together the flour, oats, coarse cane sugar, and walnuts. Pour in 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) of coconut oil, and stir in a toothpick of cinnamon essential oil. Add a little more coconut oil if too dry or a little more flour or oats if too wet.
11. Sauté the cinnamon topping mixture over medium low heat, stirring continuously, until golden brown.
12. Allow the cake to cool, then top with Cinnamon Whipped Cream and the Crispy Cinnamon Topping.