Celebrating the new year with applesauce cake!

I'm waiting for my friends so we can go out to dinner. NYE is usually pretty mellow only because I've already spent a good deal of my new years out with humanity and sometimes, it's best to avoid certain crowds if you know what I mean.

I do have a bar down the street so if we decide to be adventurous we can walk to the bar for a shot or whatever.

I decided one of the things I'm going to do this year is keep track of all the things I'm baking and cooking and making. Also, I want to write about them so that I can learn and make things better. I have been missing a lot of the reflective moments when creating things so hopefully, blogging about things will help me improve.

This is a spiced applesauce cake with cream cheese frosting. I'm not sure if Gourmet magazine online is even still available but that's where I got the recipe. The cake is really nice and moist. I couldn't find unsweetened applesauce so that might have factored into why when I attempted to transfer it it was a little crumbly. It also called for toasted walnuts but I passed on that. It is kind of like a carrot cake with the cream cheese frosting. I also added nutmeg because I had some in the pantry. It was really easy to make too. Also it says it serves 6 but it's more like 20! So, here is the recipe for you if you want to try it.

Spiced Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Active Time: 20 minutes Start to Finish: 3 1/2 hours including cooling

For Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup walnuts (optional) toasted, cooled & chopped

FOR FROSTING
5 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspon pure vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• Preheat over to 350 degrees F with rack in middle. Butter and 8- or 9-inch square cake pan.

MAKE CAKE:

• Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices
• Beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. (I did this a little too quickly and had some butter sugar splatter so don't rush the process like me :)) Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in applesauce. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined, then stir in walnuts (if using).
• Spread batter evenly in pan and bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert onto a plate. Reinvert cake onto a rack to cool completely. (I should have lined the pan with parchment paper and prepared the pan better. I prefer using butter instead of the cooking spray. Next time I will have to do that)

MAKE FROSTING:

• Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy. Sift confectioners sugar and cinnamon over cream cheese mixture, then beat at medium speed until incorporated.
• Spread frosting over top of cooled cake

Recipe by Andrea Albin