From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm briefly going to interrupt the waning days of summer in order to bring you the first of the fall desserts. Early apples have started to appear in local markets, and, while I resisted the temptation to buy them so early in the season, I was reminded that I still had applesauce from last year that had to be dealt with. I make this chunky applesauce cake at least once a year for the Silver Fox. While it's not my favorite apple cake, it's close to the top of his list of favorite fall desserts. It's a bit sweeter than suits my tastes, but lots of people love it and it is certainly worth the time and effort it takes to make. The cake is very simple to prepare and it uses ingredients that can be found in all markets , if not all kitchens. It's moist and chewy and the aroma as it bakes will drive you wild. The cake keeps for several days if well wrapped. I love to serve it warm with the hard sauce that you'll also find in today's post. I hope you will give the cake and the hard sauce a try. They are a perfect treat for sweet things who love sweet things. Here are the recipes.
Spiced Applesauce Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home Magazine
Ingredients:
1 cup raisins
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup chunky applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Set aside.
2) Place raisins in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water. Let stand for 5 minutes; drain and set aside.
3) Cream butter, shortening and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in applesauce and vanilla. Batter will appear curdled at this point. Continue on to next step where it all comes together again.
4) Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, baking soda and ginger; add to creamed mixture just until blended. Stir in walnuts and raisins.
5) Pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with Hard Sauce recipe below. Yield: 8 servings.
Hard Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home Magazine
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash ground allspice
1 cup cold water
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
Directions:
Combine sugar, flour, nutmeg, allspice and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and extracts. Serve with spice cake. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: about 1-1/3 cups.
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40 comments :
I also have some apple sauce in the freezer, guess what I will be using it for?? Thanks. Keep well Diane
Love an applesauce cake... looks perfect!
The hard sauce reminds me of how my grandma would make suet pudding during the winter holiday season. A hard sauce always accompanied it.
come sempre una grande ricetta!ciao!
Applesauce cake reminds me of childhood when Mother would make it with some of her first batch of applesauce. This one looks delicious Mary and so does the sauce.
That looks delicious! I'm actually cooking for Norm today, but bought a pie from our local farm market.
What a nice cake with all the spices!
I would really love to try an applesauce cake! Yours looks yummy, would be lovely with a cup of warm tea. Thanks for sharing, have a lovely week!
Ooh, that cake and sauce looks amazing...
ironic! I was just thinking about applesauce today and how I've never used it before! thanks for sharing
We usually reserve hard sauce for Christmas pudding - but now you've put the thought into my head.....
Spiced apple cake! I just got a batch of the first honey crisps. Nice timing.
Love this apple sauceyy cake..so good..
A nice, Autumny recipe! I love that the apples are starting to be harvested now - I'm going to save this recipe for my first batch of apples from the market!
Autumn does have its joys, as you so impressively demonstrate here! Yummy! :-)
I made my first apple strudel of the season two weeks ago, with the first batch of summer apples.
The smell of apples baking just can't be beat! This sounds delicious!
Love making applesauce cakes, but never spiced it up before. Great recipe!
Applesauce Cake, yummy! This looks delicious and filled with raisins. They are a fave here.
~Judy
Apples are starting to come in here. Love the autumn baked things and of course, anything with hard sauce.
Love the addition of allspice in your hard sauce, Mary. Going to try that in mine next time. I love to make little changes like that in a recipe.
Mary, this looks like the recipe for fall! I know it smells heavenly baking.
Yes, Mary, I was a runner from the time I was 20 until will be two years ago come February. I still miss it. I'm pretty lucky to get myself out of bed these days, too! ;) Glad to know you shared a similar love.
blessings ~ tanna
Aurumn is my favourite time of the year, so bring on the fall desserts.
that cake looks delicious! Thanks for stopping by my blog, your recipes and pictures are great, looking forward to checking out more of your posts. :)
Mary, they both look delicious. I love apple-y desserts (and chocolate-y and lemon-y......) sigh xo,
I still have several pints of homemade applesauce I canned last summer, that need to be used. This Spiced Cake would be perfect. I've made hard sauce for gingerbread, but I've not thought to use it for apple cake. What a great accompaniment! :)
so I've never heard of "hard sauce" but wow does it sound great!
Twofer he:))
Greta rece[pie as we are used from you:))
Now I wish I have some applesauce in my fridge too!
this looks marvelous and love the moistness of apple cake!
You're back! Nice to see you - and this delish cake.
YOU are so sweet, Mary, to make sweet things for your sweet things.
Fondly,
Glenda
This cake looks perfect to start the apple season!
Having an apple orchard, I make a lot of apple cakes. I think all of your readers will enjoy your recipe. The hard sauce adds a whole new dimension.
looks so perfect .. i love apple sauce cake ..
It's definitely starting to look like Fall in Paris--perfect weather for this cake! The hard sauce sounds delicious.
Hola Mary, guapa tu
muchas gracias por visitar mi cocina, asà te he conocido, tienes unos platos de 10,...te he enlazado para no perder tus delicias,
mil petonets ( besitos ) Susanna
I am totally ready for fall desserts.
Looks and sounds delicious. Love denser cakes like this. Thanks for sharing. ~ Thanks, Tom
The early apples are at the markets here also. The orchards will be packed for two months. Yes - it's official - apple season is here. I love apple cakes - as does the family - but I am really enticed by the hard sauce.
Yummy looking cake.
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