Foodie Family: Applesauce Inspired

Friday, September 19, 2014

Applesauce Inspired

This was one of those recipes that I had marked to try for a very long time...and for one reason or another, it just kept getting put off. Now, I wish I had tried it sooner. Try this one...and don't put it off!

Applesauce Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more for cake pan
3 large apples, peeled, cored, quartered, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Confectioners' sugar (optional), for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8-inch round cake pan. In a medium saucepan, bring apples and 1/4 cup water to a simmer over high. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until apples are very tender, 12 minutes. Mash apples with a whisk, stirring to dry mixture slightly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk brown sugar into apples, then oil. Whisk in eggs, then flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Transfer batter to ban and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes. Invert and let cake cool on rck. To serve, dust top with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Recipe notes: This recipe makes great muffins, as well. Simply reduce the baking time to 15 minutes.

Source: Martha Stewart, Everyday Food magazine, April 2010 issue. I can't actually find this online anymore. There is another applesauce cake recipe on the Martha Stewart website, but it isn't this one. I will have to hunt some more, and if I find it, I will post the link.

Notes: This was slightly time-consuming, but not intense or difficult, so it is definitely worth the extra time. This cake is SO moist! I need to try this in muffin form, as suggested as an alternative for the recipe. Definitely a keeper.