This pumpkin apple streusel cake was how I chose to break my pumpkin fast. It wasn't a true or intentional fast, I just stopped making pumpkin goodies when the season changed last year. Much as I love pumpkin, I'm not one to crave it in the middle of July. The can of pumpkin has been patiently waiting in my cabinet, but I didn't even feel a strong inclination to use it until October arrived. Part of this was probably the gorgeous weather St. Louis enjoyed throughout September and part of it was my not-so-secret denial that summer was on its way out. Sigh.
 I might be sad about the shift in seasons and weather (I know I'm in the minority here!), but I can't deny how much I love pumpkin anything and everything. I'm ready to enjoy some of my favorites again: the ever impressive pumpkin roll, enchiladas with pumpkin sauce, and of course pumpkin ice cream. This cake is quickly moving to the top of my list of pumpkin favorites. It's basically a pumpkin brownie topped with apple pie! When I say pumpkin brownie, I'm talking about the texture not the flavor. It's dense and when my friend said it reminded her of a brownie, I immediately knew what she meant! The sautéed apples sitting atop the cake are reminiscent of the classic pie filling--soft but still holding their shape and bursting with cinnamon. Whether you eat this straight from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or chilled after a rest in the fridge, you'll be singing fall's praises and (nearly) forgetting those hot days of summer!
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Pumpkin Apple Streusel Cake
as seen on Cassie Craves, from Epicurious

Ingredients:
for the apples-
-2 tbsp unsalted butter
-3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
-3 tbsp sugar
-1 tsp ground cinnamon

for the cake-
-1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
-1/2 tsp salt
-3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
-1/3 cup sour cream
-2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
-1 tsp baking soda
-2 large eggs

Directions:
1. To make the apples, melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and saute for 5 minutes, until apples soften and begin to brown. Add cinnamon and sugar and saute for an additional 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. In a large bowl, combine the flour, butter, brown sugar, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer until coarse crumbs form. Remove 2/3 cup of the crumb mixture and set aside.
3. Add pumpkin, sour cream, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda into remaining flour mixture, beating just until smooth. Beat in eggs. Pour batter into prepared pan and top with apples. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture on top of the apples.
4. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes before running a knife around the sides of the cake to loosen. Release springform pan and cut into pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.