Sleeping in for me means getting up after sunrise. A 7 a.m. wake-up is luxurious. 8 a.m. is a triumph. Paul, on the other hand, sleeps until eternity. While he slumbers peacefully into mid-morning, I'm up, sipping a strong cup of darkly roasted coffee, enjoying the breeze from an open window, and planning my day. On any other morning, I’m happy to pair that cup of joe with Greek yogurt and a muffin. But on these mornings, when it's just me and the red-headed woodpecker out the window alert and awake, my sweet tooth aches for something special.
In the past, I would have dived into the nearest sticky bun or syrupy waffle. Nowadays, my body shies away from the blood sugar crashes and the lethargy that follows those sugar-laden goodies. No thank you, Cinnabon! I need energy to do my four loads of laundry, shopping for the day, make meals for the week, and squeeze in 30 minutes on the stair climber machine.
For months, I experimented in creating an oven-baked apple pancake that reduced the sugar and the carb load while still satisfying my craving for something sweet. I'm enamored with the result. Consider it a cross between a Dutch baby and German apple pancake with a fraction of the sugar and flour. Baked in a cast iron pan, this airy pancake for two tastes delicious and preserves my energy to tackle the day. The aromatic cinnamon pairs deliciously with the tart apple and lemon zest. And it's so easy to make, I'm usually pulling it out of the oven, perfectly golden brown and ready to serve, before Paul wakes up.
Oven-baked Apple Cinnamon Pancake with Lemon Zest
This is gluten free in part because I love Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oat flour (gluten issue aside). Feel free to use all purpose flour in place of gluten-free oat flour if you prefer. Both versions are great!
2 tsp lemon zest
2 eggs
3 TB milk
1 TB Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oat flour*
1 TB sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
1 green apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 TB butter**
Powdered sugar to sprinkle on top (optional - I usually go without to reduce the sugar but the presentation is lovely)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a well-seasoned and oiled cast iron pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples and stir, evenly distributing the apple slices on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon on top of the apples and let the apples simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a KitchenAid with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs on high for three minutes until frothy and thick. While beater is running, add the sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Keep the beater running and add the flour and then add the milk.
Pour the batter evenly over the apple mixture until the apples are covered and the batter is poured out. Place the cast iron pan in the oven and bake for 12 minutes or until slightly golden. Remove from the oven and let sit for 3 - 5 minutes. With a small spatula or butter knife, gently lift the pancake edge all the way around the pan. The pancake should easily lift from the pan. If it sticks, it may not invert properly. Using oven-proof gloves, place a plate on top of the cast iron pan. Grab the pan's long handle and side handle, pinching the plate corners to the top of the pan. Quickly invert the plate-pan duo so the plate is on the bottom (I usually give one, quick, vigorous shake during the inversion so the cake separates quickly from the pan). The cake should fall out evenly onto the plate. (If it sticks, it may mean your pan was too dry. If using a dry cast iron pan, spray it first with cooking oil spray, then continue with melting the butter.)
*I tested other gluten-free flours and they did not work with this recipe, sticking to the pan and breaking apart while flipping out onto a plate. Substitute other gluten-free flours at your own risk!
**If you like the health benefits of coconut oil like I do, use half coconut oil, half butter. Do not use 100 percent coconut oil. This causes the batter to stick to the pan and prevents the pancake from flipping out onto a plate.
