It is my favorite time of the year. I love everything about fall. The moody sky that stays gray all day. The leaves. The smell of wood smoke as we head into the long season ahead. The colors. The fruit, the vegetables. And the cooking.
It is hands down my favorite time of year to cook and bake. Some of my favorite fruits are in season—pears, apples, and cranberries—and pumpkins are everywhere. I can think of so many things to make with each of them. Applesauce happens to be one of the easiest. In fact, you can put everything in the crockpot and let it do all the work. The original set-it-and-forget-it.
Once you have applesauce, though, there are so many things you can do with it. Add it to your favorite muffin recipe for extra moisture, serve it alongside your favorite pork dish, or use it to make an Applesauce Spice Cake. I looked back through my blog and realized how many times I’ve mentioned this cake, so it only seems fitting to give it a post of its own. This cake. Sigh.
I have long had a love for Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY. Moosewood is an institution in vegetarian cooking, both as a restaurant and through its cookbooks. When I lived in Upstate New York, a day trip to Ithaca to visit Moosewood was always a treat. I carried around a dog-eared copy of their Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites cookbook for years. I made so many recipes from that book, but this spice cake and their black bean and sweet potato burritos became two of my fall staples.
Speaking of those burritos, I might have to try making my own tortillas and whip up a batch soon. Also, be sure to save some of the maple syrup you made last season, especially for this cake. You’ll thank me later.
The Recipe: Applesauce Spice Cake
adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites
Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups pure maple syrup
5 egg whites
1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar, more if needed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup pure maple syrup, more if needed
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium mix bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir in oats. Set aside.
In the bowl of mixer, cream the oil and maple syrup for at least 3 minutes or until well blended. Add the egg whites and beat on high speed for another 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Thoroughly mix in the applesauce.
Gradually add all the flour mixture, beating well after each addition.
Lightly coat a bundt pan with cooking spray (or lightly butter and flour the pan).
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Immediately invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove the pan.
Cool completely before frosting or glazing.
For the glaze:
1. In a small bowl whisk all ingredients together until smooth and creamy
2. Add more powdered sugar if too thin; or more maple syrup if too thick. You want the glaze to be thin enough to pour but not so thin that it doesn't hold up.
3. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake.
