Sautéed Apple Directions:

1. Toss apples with cinnamon, lemon juice, and maple syrup. 
2. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and add apple mixture.
3. Sauté until apples start to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool while you prepare the cake pan.

Cake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8 or 9-inch cake pan with parchment.
2. Spoon 1-2 TB maple syrup around the bottom of the pan and spread it around (I use a pastry brush for this). Top with apples (make sure they’re cool enough to handle!), arranging them in a fan pattern. Note: this will end up being the top of your cake, so you’ll want it to look pretty.
3. In a large bowl, whisk wet ingredients (oil, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla) until well mixed. Add in remaining cake ingredients and whisk until no lumps are visible. 
4. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.
5. When ready to serve, put your serving plate of choice face-down onto the cake pan and flip the cake pan over, so that the bottom is now the top. Remove parchment and serve with optional streusel topping sprinkled on top (and/or coconut whipped cream or vegan vanilla ice cream!)

Streusel Topping Directions:

1. While the cake is cooking, make the optional streusel topping by combining all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until crumbly (you may need to use your fingers at the end). 
2. Line a baking pan with parchment and spread streusel out on the pan, baking at 350-degrees until it starts to crisp and brown (8-10 minutes). You may want to flip it half-way through for even brownness.