Spiced Snacking Cake

By Kristan Little
Images
Spiced Snacking Cake
Serves
Makes 1 cake
Ingredients
  • For the Cake:
  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¾ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • ½ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp ground white pepper
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ cup + 2 tbs grapeseed oil, or other neutral oil
  • ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • For the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 6 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 tbs maple syrup, room temperature
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • Pinch fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract


Procedure
Heat oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8-inch square pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, white pepper, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, applesauce, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until very smooth.

With a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and place in the oven on the center rack. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, or with a handheld beater until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix until incorporated. Chill frosting until firm enough to spread over cake.

Frost the cake, slice into nine equal sized pieces and enjoy!

Spiced Snacking Cake

By Kristan Little
Serves
Makes 1 cake
Ingredients
  • For the Cake:
  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¾ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • ½ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp ground white pepper
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ cup + 2 tbs grapeseed oil, or other neutral oil
  • ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • For the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 6 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 tbs maple syrup, room temperature
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • Pinch fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract


Procedure
Heat oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8-inch square pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, white pepper, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, applesauce, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until very smooth.

With a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and place in the oven on the center rack. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, or with a handheld beater until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix until incorporated. Chill frosting until firm enough to spread over cake.

Frost the cake, slice into nine equal sized pieces and enjoy!