Fat-Free Apple Coffeecake

Fat-free apple coffeecake is the lighter, lean-pantry version of a classic Sunday-morning bake, and it pulls off the trick more convincingly than most fat-free recipes. The base is just flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, skim milk, egg whites, and a third cup of corn syrup. The corn syrup is doing real work here: it keeps the cake moist where butter and yolks normally would, and it adds tenderness without the fat.

Sliced apples get arranged across the top, overlapping like roof shingles to cover the surface, then a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar finishes the cake. As it bakes, the apples soften and release their juice into the batter just below them, creating a moist layer between cake and fruit. Fifty minutes at 350°F (175°C) and the toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan before serving with morning coffee.

Pro Tips

• Slice the apples thin (about an eighth of an inch) so they cook through and don’t sit on top raw and crunchy.
• Use a tart-leaning apple like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn. Sweet apples (Red Delicious, Gala) get cloying against an already-sweet batter.
• Don’t overmix the batter once you add the dry to wet. Just stir until smooth. Overmixing develops gluten and toughens the cake.
• The cake keeps its moisture for two or three days at room temperature, covered. Day-two slices toast beautifully under the broiler.

Variations

• Swap apples for sliced pears, peaches, or plums when in season.
• Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a tablespoon of orange zest to the batter for extra flavor.
• Top with a glaze of powdered sugar whisked with a teaspoon of milk and a drop of almond extract for an even more bakery-style finish.