I've got a great fall dessert for you - applesauce spice cake with a caramel filling and cream cheese frosting. Forget about the pumpkin pie and pecan pie for Thanksgiving. This cake takes the best parts of the pies - the spices and the nuts - and combines them in one delicious dessert. The warmth of the spices, the sweet richness of the caramel, and the creamy, slight tang of the icing all combine to balance for a flavorful finale.
Slice apples directly into a small pan with the lemon juice and water. The acidity keeps the slices from browning. Sprinkle sugar over the apples. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until apples cook down - about 30 minutes or so. I like a few small chunks in my applesauce, not completely smooth, but cook it down however you like it. Salt to taste.
Now for the cake:
Applesauce Spice Cake
Heat oven to 350°. Butter and flour 2 9-inch round baking pans.
In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and soda, and spices.
In bowl of stand mixer, combine brown sugar, oil, and applesauce until well-mixed, scraping down sides of bowl. Mix in eggs and vanilla.
Add in half the flour mixture, on low speed, until just combined. See mixing note below.* Blend in buttermilk, then add remaining flour. Fold in nuts.
Divide mixture evenly among two prepared baking pans. Bake at 350° about 28 minutes, or until toothpick comes out fairly clean.
Allow to cool in pans about 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
*Mixing note: There’s a reason cake recipes instruct you to mix in flour until “just combined.” It has to do with the development of gluten. Basically, gluten is a protein found in wheat which, when mixed with liquid, forms a protein chain or network which gives structure to any baked goods. For breads, you want to develop that protein network. This is why you “knead” a bread dough. For cakes, we want to avoid or limit gluten development in the batter. This is why we gently fold flour into the batter. You want to add the flour in 2 or 3 additions instead of all at once. Adding all at once results in over-mixing and a denser, tougher cake. In order to get a soft, crumbly texture and a lighter, fluffier, melt-in-the-mouth feel, use a cut and fold motion with one hand while rotating the bowl with the other hand, mixing the flour in as few folds as possible. When no streaks of flour remain in the bowl, stop mixing.
Cook over low heat until butter and sugar are melted. Continue cooking at a bare simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. Stir in 2-3 teaspoons vanilla. Let cool and thicken.
Any leftover caramel is most excellent heated up and poured over ice cream.
Oh...
This is just grand!