Apple Crumb Cake

Getting kids in the kitchen is what we're all about at The Kids' Table. The benefits of cooking with your kids are many. You're teaching them a basic life skill, spending quality time together, giving kids a sense of ownership and accomplishment, and perhaps best of all, engaging them around food in a positive way. A healthy, fun relationship with food coupled with a sense of pride about their creations can help kids make better food choices.

You may be wondering what the connection is between better food choices and Apple Crumb Cake. Just bear with me! Will making cupcakes with your kids get them to eat kale or broccoli? Maybe not directly. But it can be a step in the process of getting you there. Cupcakes are a surefire hit with kids. So it won't take much coaxing to get them involved. With that positive experience under your belts, your child will be much more likely to join you in another cooking adventure down the road. Perhaps one that involves a vegetable!

We also shouldn't discount the benefits of making desserts from scratch. Homemade treats are typically less expensive and taste better than their storebought counterparts. But did you know that they are also usually healthier? When you make something at home, you have control over the ingredients. You can use whole grains, healthy fats, and less sugar than most food companies would. This recipe uses half whole wheat flour, a healthy vegetable oil, and is made up of about half fruit!

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and the process of making it with your kids even more! For more insight into the benefits of cooking with your kids, as well as a glimpse into The Kids' Table's kitchen, check out the video below. Happy cooking!

APPLE CRUMB CAKE

Ingredients

For Cupcakes:
1 egg

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup canola or grapeseed oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup diced apple

For Crumble Topping: 

1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

2 T butter, melted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine egg, applesauce, sugar, oil and vanilla and whisk well. Whisk in baking soda and cinnamon. Stir in flours until just combined. Fold in diced apple. Divide batter evenly between muffin cups.

To make crumble, combine oats, brown sugar, flour and ground cinnamon in a small bowl and stir well. Drizzle melted butter on top and stir until well combined. Toss topping with your fingers to make sure butter is evenly distributed and mixture is evenly crumbly. Sprinkle on top of batter. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Let cool in muffin tin on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from tin to continue cooling. Enjoy!

Makes 12 cupcakes

What Kids Can Do (with appropriate tools & adult supervision)
*Crack egg
*Measure ingredients
*Mix ingredients (with a whisk for batter, and with fingers for crumble)
*Chop apple
*Fold apple into batter
*Scrape batter into muffin tin
*Sprinkle crumble on top