01.06.2012 Apple Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting

I've been having a mega apple crave lately. Not sure what the deal is, but I can't help but want to try almost every recipe I see with apples. Maybe I miss fall...Either way, this is a recipe that has been taunting me for quite some time now. I've been a little obsessed with my Sono Bakery cookbook and can't seem to find a recipe I haven't loved yet, so I had no problem committing to a new apple recipe to try. I hope you enjoy :)

Apple Spice Cake
2 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp coarse salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temp
2 cups grated peeled and cored apples (red, I used fuji)
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup toasted walnuts (optional, I opted to not use them in the cake and to decorate with at the end)


Brown Sugar Buttercream (I was very unhappy with this recipe initially and made some dramatic changes to get it right for me)
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/8 tsp coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 TB unsalted butter, firm but not chilled, cut into cubes
3/4 tsp vanilla

My additions consisted of a whole lotta powdered sugar and about 2 tsp maple syrup.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare an 8-inch square cake pan
2. To make the cake: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, eggs, grated apples, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until the flour has been absorbed. Fold in the walnuts, if using.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 45-55 minutes. The recipe said 50 to 55, but mine was done at 45 minutes.
5. To make the buttercream: Bring about 1 inch of water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler ( I opted out on the double boiler thing and decided holding my pan an inch or two over the heat works just as well...) Combine the egg whites, brown sugar, and salt in the top of the double boiler. Whisk over the simmering water until the whites are warm to the touch and the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a standing mixer with whisk attachment, and beat until the meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form. With the machine running, gradually beat in the butter. By the time the butter is added, the mixture will break; keep beating - it will become smooth again. Continue to beat and add vanilla.
6. If you are like me and completely unhappy with the ridiculously buttery flavor and slimy consistency of the frosting, try adding powdered sugar. Add as much as you need to your liking. I wasn't measuring, but it must have taken me at least a cup to reach that creamy texture I'm used to. I also decided a hint of maple syrup was in order, but that was just my preference.

I'm not sure if it's my preference for apples or why I am even comparing this carrot cake, but I would eat this over the best slice of carrot cake any day. I highly recommend adding that hint of pure maple syrup. It makes all the difference and going with the cake perfectly.