Recipe: Spicy Applesauce Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting

I experimented today with a "use up what  I have on hand" applesauce cake recipe. This cake is fragrant, dense, spicy and chewy - a lovely slice for tea (or even an on-the-run breakfast!). The optional caramely frosting makes it sinfully rich and sweet.

Spicy Applesauce Cake

1 1/2 cups applesauce (I use my own, homemade apple sauce mixed with a bit of my apple butter)

1 cup sugar (I use brown sugar - white works well, too)

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sour cream (or yoghurt)

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 to 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp salt

Mix together the applesauce, sugar and sour cream. Add the dry ingredients and stir until well mixed. Pour into a greased cake pan. Bake about 20 minutes (or until cake tests done) at 350 degrees. NOTE: this cake will dry out if it over-bakes, so keep an eye on it! (this makes 1 10x10 cake, or two thinner 8" round layers - which I treat as two separate cakes). Frosting is optional - but fun!

Brown Sugar Frosting

5 Tbs butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3 Tbs milk
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low flame. Stir in the sugar and continue stirring until the sugar is melted. Add the milk and bring to a boil while stirring (you can raise the flame, but make sure the sugar doesn't scorch!). Pout into a bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes. Stir in the extracts (I really like the subtle addition of almond, but it isn't necessary) and the sugar. Mix well and frost the cake while still warm (it will stiffen slightly as it cools).