The 3 Best Fall Apple Cakes and Pies (Healthier Versions)

Tomorrow morning at 9:15 I'll be on our local 3 TV here in Phoenix for a segment on how to make some healthier choices for Fall cakes and pies. I'm using a lot of apples!  I'm sharing the recipes today so that everyone will be able to access the deliciousness in one post! Now, these recipes use organic sugar or can also use granulated natural sugar sweeteners instead. I've made them using stevia and haven't found one that I really like. The sweeteners that I really like for lower sugar and lower GI are:

Fructose Sugar

Granular Erythritol

This cake used organic cake mix and pudding mix. I make my own Chef Tess Bakeresse: My Yellow Homemade Cake Mix as well as Chef Tess Bakeresse: Homemade Instant Pudding Mix and use them instead. The cake mix I make uses 6 grain flour and natural Granular Erythritol.

Chef Tess Mulled Apple Cider Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze

4 cups organic white cake mix ,

½ cup organic vanilla pudding mix (1 box),

1 ½ tsp Chef Tess Wise Woman of the East Spice blend.Chef Tess Spices

Glaze mix: 1 cup organic powdered sugar, 1 T lemon zest

To prepare cake you will need: 1 cups high quality apple juice concentrate, ½ cup Myer lemon infused olive oil, 4 eggs, 1 Bundt pan, flour for dusting the pan. To prepare glaze you will need: 2T hot water.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist Bundt pan with non-stick spray and dust with flour. Shake out excess flour and set aside. Place the cake mix in a mixer and combine with apple cider and olive oil, and eggs mixing on low speed 30 seconds and then increase to medium speed 2 minutes, scraping down sides again. The batter should be thick and well combined. Pour into pan, place in oven and bake 42-48 minutes. Remove pan from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Meanwhile prepare the glaze by combining the mix with 2T hot water and mixing until smooth. Inver the cake onto a platter while it is still warm and pour the glaze over the cake. Garnish with spices, and fruit if desired. Slice and serve.

Chef Tess Natural Fall Apple Cake

Cream together:
2 cups natural sugar replacement (Granular Erythritol or Xylitol)
1/2 cup butter (or heart-healthy butter replacement)
½ cup egg beaters
1 tsp double strength vanilla

Sift together:
2 cups 9 grain cake flour or organic cake flour
2 tsp Chef Tess Wise Woman of the East Spice Blend ( Chef Tess Spices)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp soda

Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, alternating with 1/2 cup soy milk or low-fat buttermilk.
Add: 3 granny smith apples (peeled, and pared and and diced)

Bake at 350 degrees in a greased 9 by 13 inch cake pan (about 40 minutes) or 2 8 inch rounds (20-25 minutes). Frost generously with cream cheese frosting. I also add a tsp of crushed lavender petals to the sifted ingredients.

This I did in 2 8 inch cake pans. I grease and flour the pans to keep them from sticking, but you could just line them with parchment paper.
Cream cheese frosting (optional, not pictured above)
1 stick (1/4 pound) regular butter, softened

1 package (8 ounce) light cream cheese, softened

1 pound powdered sugar (about 3 cups)

2 teaspoons vanilla

In large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and vanilla and blend until smooth. Don't over mix as cream cheese will separate and become runny.

 

Chef Tess' Fall Natural 6 Grain Apple Pie
5 large Jonathan or Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin
1 tsp Wise Woman of the East spice blend  (Chef Tess Spices)
2T fresh lemon juice
2T flour or 1T cornstarch
2tsp double strength vanilla
¼ cup honey (I use flavor infused)

Combine in a large bowl until well coated. I put the bowl in the microwave for 5 minutes on high and stir well. This helps the apples to partially cook and reduces the baking time. This may also be done on the stove-top. Once partially cooked, transfer into a 9 inch uncooked pie crust.

For the crust you will need:

2 1/4 cup 6 grain pastry flour (all purpose will work)

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup shortening (non trans fat try Spectrum organic brand)

3 T cold water

3 T white distilled vinegar

Crust: Combine the flour and the salt in a large bowl. I keep the fat pretty cold. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender. combine lightly until the mix resembles course meal or tiny peas: its texture will not be uniform, but will contain small crumbs and small bits and pieces. If you don't have a pastry blender, you can certainly use the wire whisk from your mixer.Or, my personal favorite...the techno-chef fingers. Just make sure your hands are freezing cold. It's winter, I'm sure you can work that out. I use vinegar in my crust. I have for years. It helps with the flaky texture and it actually does make an amazing crust. Make a well in the dry stuff and add 3 T cold water and 3 T vinegar. You may need more or less, so go with 2 T of vinegar at first...but I can't think if the last time I needed to change the recipe and add more water or vinegar than what it says. Lightly combine, just until mixed. Over mixing the dough will always result in hard non-flake-like crust. Kneading it only a few times and making into a ball. Refrigerate about 30 minutes. It will be easier to work with, and it gives the gluten (protein in the wheat) time to rest so the dough will roll out easier. Take half of the dough. With your hands form it into a patty. I put my dough between two pieces of wax paper. I've used this method since my granny W. Forever. It's never failed me. Lightly...and I do mean lightly...wipe the counter top with a lightly damp clean washcloth. Place a piece of wax paper down, about 1 foot by 1 foot. Put the dough down. Top with another piece of wax paper of same proportions. Wax paper helps contribute to a tender crust, using extra flour on the counter instead may lead to a dry crust if overdone. Roll the dough out into a circle. This may take practice to get it just right. Take your time.

Once to the edges of the wax paper, remove the top piece of paper. Place crust, uncovered side down in the pan, with an inch or so of crust hanging over the edge of the pan. Now remove the second piece of paper.Trim the edge so it hangs over about 3/4 inch, then fold it under so it leaves a little rim on the pan. This one comes up about 1/2 inch.

There you go! Make some gorgeous things with apple!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess