27 October 2010

What I've been doing for the last month: Spiced Applesauce Cake

I read a lot of food porn- although less than I used to. One of my favorite blogs is Smitten Kitchen.

On the 25th, Deb wrote about this spiced applesauce cake and, as it happened, I had not only all the ingredients sitting in my fridge, but also a relatively spanking new, happy anniversary Artisan stand mixer sitting on my counter. So, Dear Readers, I baked it.

And it was delicious. The first day I thought that I would have preferred more spices, but the second and third days the cake just got better and better as the spices and ingredients melded. It was too spicy for my children's German palates, but the German husband loved it.

Spiced Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted, barely, from Gourmet.com by Deb,then adapted a bit more by me from Deb

For cake

2 cups (8 3/4 ounces or 250 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) salt
3/4 teaspoon (2 grams) cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 stick (4 ounces or 113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (7 3/4 ounces or 218 grams) packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoon (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (about 13 ounces or 365 grams) unsweetened applesauce

For frosting
5 ounces (142 grams) cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces or 42 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (4 ounces or 120 grams) confectioners sugar (I used less to taste)
1/2 (1 teaspoon) teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 175C/350°F with rack in middle. Thickly butter an 8- or 9-inch square cake pan.

Cake:

Measure flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices into one bowl.

Beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in applesauce. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined.

Spread batter evenly in pan and bake until golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert onto a plate. Reinvert cake onto a rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese frosting:

Beat frosting ingredients together and spread over top of cooled cake.


No comments: