Apple Cider Donut Oat Flour Cake

For the Cake

• 1 very large apple (like honeycrisp), divided
  
• 0.5 c apple cider
• 0.25 c apple butter
  
• 0.25 c drippy natural almond butter
• 0.25 c maple syrup
• 2 eggs
  
• 2.25 c old-fashioned rolled oats
  
• 0.25 c brown sugar
  
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
  
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 0.25 tsp salt

For the Topping

• 1 tbsp butter
  
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and oil an 8x8 baking dish with your oil of choice; I like a bit of melted coconut oil. Conversely, you can line the baking dish with parchment for guaranteed easy removal.
2. Cut a large apple into thin slices perpendicular to the core to make rings (see the photos in the post). Set aside the four nicest-looking slices. The rest of the apple will go into your cake batter.
   
3. Measure the wet ingredients into a blender; putting the wet ingredients in first prevents the dry ingredients from clumping below the blades.
4. Then, measure in the dry ingredients, including any leftover apple bits that you have.
5. Blend everything until you have a smooth, thick batter. If you have a high-power blender, this should only take a minute.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Use a spatula to scrape it all out of the blender, and to spread it into an even layer.
7. Place four big, pretty apple slices on top of the batter, removing the core from each.
   
8. Bake 40-45 minutes until a cake tester just barely comes out clean.
9. Melt the butter for the topping and brush it all over the top of the cake to help the cinnamon sugar stick. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping, then sprinkle it liberally across the cake quickly, before the butter soaks in.
10. Cut into squares and devour while still warm! Store any leftover cake in a container in the fridge.