Aren’t recipes that remind you of good times fun? Shayna and I love this kind of recipe – and this cake for just that reason. Full of tart, crisp apples, toasted walnuts and topped with a dollop of sage honey. Does it get any better?

We’ve chosen granny smith apples to use in this cake because of their ability to retain crispness and flavor when cooked. Their texture makes a good counterpart to the crunchy walnuts. And don’t just make the sage honey to top this cake. Once you try it, you’ll experiment with lots of different herb, spice and honey combinations. It’s the perfect way to add a pop to any dessert – or even a cup of tea.

Sage is also a great pair with any kind of poultry, mushrooms or apples! But not only does it make your food taste great, sage contains a variety of volatile oils, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, When combined, these components help stabilize oxygen-related metabolism and prevent oxygen-based damage to the cells. Increased intake of sage as a seasoning in food is recommended for persons with inflammatory conditions.

Apple Cake

1 ¼  Cups Raw Sugar

2/3 Cup Canola Oil

1/3 Cup Applesauce

2 Large Eggs

2 Large Egg Whites

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1 ¼ Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Fine Sea Salt

½ Tsp Cinnamon

½ Tsp Allspice

¼ Tsp Baking Soda

2 Cups Chopped Granny Smith Apples

1 Cup Chopped Toasted Walnuts

*1 Recipe Sage Honey

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

Step One

Preheat the oven to 350F. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the sugar, oil, eggs, whites and vanilla until well blended.

Step Two

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and baking soda. Gradually beat the dry ingredients into wet mixture until blended. Fold in the apples and walnuts. Spoon into 2 non-stick sprayed round pans that have been lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Step Three

When the loaves have cooled, cut into 1” slices and top with the yogurt and drizzle with honey.

*Sage Honey

1/2 cup honey

6 large sage leaves, chopped

Combine the honey and sage in a small nonstick saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before using.