Boozy Apple Cake

Boozy Apple Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup softened butter plus more for buttering the pan
2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup raw sugar

1 24 oz jar applesauce or 2 1/2 cups homemade applesauce

2 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg. (yes it makes a difference)

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons apple brandy
2 tablespoons Fireball
1 large granny smith apple peeled and diced

Directions:

Heat the oven to 325. Soften some butter and liberally brush your pan with it, coating it well. You can use a 10-inch spring form, or a round or fluted bundt pan.

Sprinkle the raw sugar in your cake pan, and set it aside. 

Combine the 1 cup of butter with 2 cups of sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed, stopping to scrape down the sides periodically, for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. 

Carefully fold in the applesauce and don’t over-mix. The mixture will have a weird texture and the butter won’t seem to blend in well. Don’t worry, this is normal. 

In a separate bowl, combine all the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and baking powder. Fold the dry ingredients into the applesauce mixture. Add the vanilla, brandy, Fireball, and apple, and mix till just combined. 

Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for about 1 hour and 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean and it’s no longer jiggly. This is a very moist cake so keep that in mind as you test. 

Let stand until slightly still warm and then remove it from the pan. Serve with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Gingerbread

Gingerbread

 Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (I used salted)
1 egg
1 cup unsulphured molasses
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup apple sauce (optional for moistness)
1/4 cup diced crystallized ginger (optional - for a Starbucks copycat recipe)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*F.

Prepare a bread pan by lining with parchment paper and spraying with cooking spray. This will ensure bread slips right out of your pan with zero sticking.

Blend sugar and butter together until fluffy.

Add egg and molasses and beat well, scraping sides as needed.

Add baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Mix well.

Add flour in 1/2 cup at at time and mixing between each addition.

While mixing, SLOWLY add water to thin batter out. Now is the time to add the apple sauce if you wish, though I didn't need it.

If adding the crystallized ginger, add now.

Pour mixture into prepared bread pan and bake for 55 minutes. Remove from oven and add create a tent over bread to prevent from edges getting to dark.

Place bread back in oven and bake for 15 - 20 more minutes.

Remove from oven when a toothpick inserted into the middle of bread comes out clean.

Notes
This can also be made into a 9x9 cake or 4 mini loaf pans. Total cooking time will be approximately 45 - 55 minutes for cake pan or mini loaf pans.

 

Homemade Fig Newtons

Homemade Fig Newtons

Cakey Cookie Dough:
Ingredients
10 1/2 ounces all purpose flour, such as Gold Medal, plus more for dusting (2 1/4 cups, spooned;)

5 ounces unsalted butter, soft but cool, about 65°F (1 1/4 sticks;)

4 ounces light brown sugar, gently packed 

1/2 plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 ounce honey (about 2 tablespoons, ungreased)

1 teaspoon orange zest

1/2 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 tablespoon)

3 large egg yolks, straight from the fridge (approximately 1 1/2 ounces)

No-Cook Fig Preserves:
12 ounces plump, sticky dried Mission figs, stems trimmed,about 2 1/2 cups

3 1/2 ounces sweetened or unsweetened applesauce about 1/3 cup

1 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice, about 2 tablespoons

Directions:

Prepare the Dough: Combine butter, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, honey, and orange zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to moisten, then increase to medium and cream until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add orange juice, then add the egg yolks one at a time and continue beating until smooth. Reduce the speed to low and sprinkle in the flour, mixing until well combined.

Knead the dough against the sides of the bowl to form a smooth ball. Flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until cool and firm but not hard, about 1 hour. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 week; soften for 30 minutes at room temperature.)

Prepare the Preserves: Cut the figs in half. Pulse with applesauce and orange juice in a food processor until roughly chopped, then process to a thick, smooth paste. Scrape the bowl and blade with a flexible spatula, then process a minute more to ensure absolutely no chunks remain. Transfer to a sturdy piping bag fitted with a 1⁄2-inch plain tip and set aside until needed, up to 24 hours. (The preserves can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks; bring to room temperature before using.)

To Assemble the Cookies: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F. Knead the cool dough on a bare work surface until pliable and smooth, then dust with flour and roll into an 8-inch square. Sprinkle both sides with flour and roll into a 15-inch square. Slide an offset spatula under the dough to loosen it, brush off excess flour, and cut into four 3 1/4-inch strips.

Holding the bag at a 90-degree angle just above the surface of the dough (this will force the preserves to flatten as they leave the bag), pipe a 1-inch-wide strip down the center of each portion. Fold a long flap of dough over each strip, brush away excess flour, and roll each bar over, seam side down. Gently flatten each bar with your fingertips, then transfer to a parchment-lined half sheet pan (all four bars will fit on a single sheet).

Bake until the bars are puffed and firm, without any significant browning, about 18 minutes. Immediately cut into 1-inch pieces with a bench scraper, then transfer to an airtight container, with a paper towel between each layer and on top. This will steam the cookies and retain moisture for them to reabsorb, creating a uniquely soft and cakey texture. Cover and “mature” for at least 6 hours before serving; prior to that, the cookies will taste dry. Store for up to 1 week at room temperature or up to a month in the fridge.

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Low-fat Gingerbread Cookies

                        Low-fat Gingerbread Cookies 
In these cookies, applesauce adds moisture and flavor. Adding minced candied ginger is a nice surprise. Chopped dried cranberries add a festive garnish. These can be made in advance and kept refrigerated until ready to serve. Sprinkle with the cranberries right before serving. 

Ingredients:
1 egg
1⁄2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1⁄4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
11⁄2 cups whole wheat flour
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons minced candied ginger (optional)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1⁄2 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons dried cranberries, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Beat the egg in a large bowl, then add the applesauce, brown sugar and molasses. 

Mix the whole wheat flour, baking soda, ginger and pumpkin pie spice together in a bowl and add tothe applesauce mixture. 

Fold in the candied ginger, if using and lemon zest. 

Bake on parchment-lined baking sheets for 10 to12 minutes until cookies are still soft but baked through.  Allow to cool completely. 

Make a lemon glaze by mixing the lemon juice with the powdered sugar. Drizzle cooled cookies with the glaze and sprinkle with dried cranberries.   Makes 24 cookies.

Applesauce Spice Cake

Applesauce Spice Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup raisins

1 cup dried cherries

3 cups apple cider or apple juice

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup unsweetened applesauce (for a sweeter cake, use sweetened applesauce)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup walnuts, chopped

powdered sugar

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Directions:

In a saucepan stir together the raisins and dried cherries; stir in the apple cider. Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes or until the liquid is almost absorbed. Remove pan from heat; cool 20 minutes.

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Meanwhile grease and lightly flour a fluted (bundt) tube pan; set aside.

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In a large bowl, combine eggs, applesauce, oil and vanilla. In a medium bowl combine flours, cinnamon baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir flour mixture into applesauce mixture just until combined. Stir in raisin mixture and nuts. Transfer to prepared pan.

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Bake the cake in a 350 oven about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes; remove from pan on wire rack for 15 minutes; Remove from pan and let cake cool completely. Wrap and store overnight. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before slicing.

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This recipe was copied from the magazine Midwest Living. I have relied on this magazine for many years for accurate but delicious recipes usually contributed by the great Midwest cooks!