Late summer and early fall bring a welcome chill to the air that instantly puts me in the mood for anything involving cinnamon and apples. This easy to make loaf cake is filled with juicy grated apples and a swirl of cinnamon sugar running through its center. I like to finish it off with a drizzling of vanilla glaze, but its just as delicious without it.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/4 vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
• 1/2 buttermilk or Greek yoghurt (fat free is fine)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2-3 large apples, grated (I use Cortland or Granny Smith apples)

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tsp heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and generously grease an 8×5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon and 1/4 tsp of salt. set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, cream the white sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. This will take about two minutes.
4. Add the melted butter, oil, vanilla and buttermilk. Mix until fully combined.
5. Reduce mixer speed to low and add in the baking powder, flour and 1/2 tsp salt.
6. Stir in the grated apples.
7. Spoon half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle 2/3 of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the batter. Spread the remaining batter evenly over the cake and top with remaining cinnamon sugar.
8. Bake cake for 45-55 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
9. For the glaze: mix all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over fully cooled cake.

Yield: one 8×5 inch loaf cake