Cold weather, warm apple coffee cake

It's blustery and just a bit wild outside this morning, there is a cold front from the Pacific coming in and while I'm not sure how much rain it will bring us, it's definitely bringing us windy, cloudy and chilly weather.  

Today my only outside tasks were to tend to the chickens, turn the compost, and scatter the wildflower seeds I'd bought over the weekend, and then get back inside as quickly as possible.  Some days just don't lend themselves well to your usual work routine. When I worked at the Griffith Observatory, there were always astronomy magazines scattered about, with ad sections devoted to what were called, "books for cloudy nights."  I liked that; it was an acknowledgment that some jobs are dependent on weather. In the observatory's case it meant if you couldn't see the stars, you couldn't study them.  For farmers, it's magazines and "books for rainy days," since wet ground can't be worked, and wet crops can't be harvested. So since today is a rainy day, I plan to spend a good portion of it in front of the fire, reading.

Knowing the weather was coming, last night I baked up a little treat to enjoy on this "inside" day and make it a little bit sweeter ....Apple coffee cake with crumble topping and brown sugar glaze!

Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze

Cake:1 stick unsalted butter1 
1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples

Crumble Topping:1 cup packed light brown sugar
1cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Brown Sugar Glaze:1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons water

Directions:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter.In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.