Apple Coffee Cake

Whether it’s a birthday party or a weekend family dinner, nothing makes an occasion more festive than a beautifully presented cake.

Most cake recipes are less than healthy, but the following recipe is a healthier version filled with fruit so that you can make your cake and eat it too.

This cake gets its moistness from the apples and raisins, so it needs little oil.

Ingredients

• 5 cups tart apples, cored, peeled, and finely chopped

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup dark, plump raisins

• ½ cup pecans, chopped

• ¼ cup vegetable oil

• 2 tsp. vanilla

• 1 egg, beaten

• 2½ cups sifted, all-purpose flour

• 1½ tsp. baking soda

• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the apples with the sugar, raisins, and pecans; mix well. Let stand 30 minutes. Stir in the oil, vanilla, and egg.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir into the apple mixture about one-third at a time. Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool cake slightly before serving.

Makes 20 servings

Each 3½-by-2½-inch serving contains: 203 calories, 8 g fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 100 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrates, 1.5 g fiber, 2.5 g protein.