Apple cake is a unique alternative to apple pie that uses a soft, moist cake base instead of the usual pie crust. This cake can be made a number of different ways, but no matter how you make it, it’s always full of fall flavor. Here are three sweet apple cake recipes for your next autumn gathering.

Uncle Bob’s Fresh Apple Cake [foodnetwork.com]
Paula Deen’s down-home take on apple cake uses tart Granny Smith apples and lightly toasted walnuts to create a flavorful, hearty bundt cake. Top it with a honey glaze for a warm taste that pairs perfectly with morning coffee or a scoop of after-dinner ice cream.

Marie-Hélène's Apple Cake [epicurious.com]
If you want to create a more sophisticated apple cake, this recipe is both simple and complex. Its creator, Marie-Hélène Brunet-Lhoste, is a top Parisian restaurant critic, and she uses her French culinary expertise in every aspect of the cake. Large, thick pieces of apple take center stage, while the cake base and a hefty splash of rum accent the natural fruit flavor.

German Apple Cake [tasteofhome.com]
This traditional German dessert recipe is a bit less sweet than other versions, which makes it ideal to eat for breakfast just as much as dessert. In addition to the usual spices, orange juice offers a bit of zest to complement the tart apples.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Leslie Main Johnson

If you’re looking for a family-owned eatery serving authentic Mexican cuisine, you’ll find it at Irma’s. If you come for lunch or dinner, Irma’s offers housemade guacamole and crispy chips to start the meal, and the popular strawberry lemonade is truly a can’t-miss menu item. Entrees like shrimp and spinach enchiladas and tender carne asada will leave you feeling full, while the sweet sopapillas make the perfect dessert to finish off your meal. For early risers, Irma’s even offers a traditional Mexican breakfast that consists of huevos rancheros and other favorites.

This local favorite is furnished with casual wooden tables and colorful Mexican decorations throughout, and it even has a full bar with flatscreen televisions for anyone who wants to stop by to watch the big game. There is also a plant-filled outdoor patio, perfect for warm evenings.

Irma’s
22 N Chenevert St
Houston, TX 77002
(713) 222-0767
www.irmashouston.com
www.yelp.com/biz/irmas-restaurant-houston?sort_by=date_desc

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr kennejima

Fluff Bake Bar is a cute, local bakery that creates some of the most in-demand sweets in Houston, offering a creative take on classic desserts like cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, and the namesake fluffernutters. Order a custom cake for a birthday or wedding from this stylish sweet shop and you’ll find a very large assortment of icing styles, cake flavors, and artistic designs to go on top. For a smaller, individual-sized cake, the shop’s cupcakes come in unique flavors like black velvet, Veruca Salt, and PB&J, and they’re even available by the dozen if you want to share with friends.

Fluff Bake Bar’s delicious delicacies are available at many popular coffee shops and cafes around town, but if you want the full experience, stop in to see the sights (and smells) at the stylish, welcoming bakery.

Fluff Bake Bar is open Tuesdays through Thursdays 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to midnight, and Sundays 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Fluff Bake Bar
314 Gray Street
Houston, TX 77002
(713) 522-1900
www.fluffbakebar.com

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr m01229