Name: Applesauce Cake with Penuche Frosting
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 95 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: For the cake:; 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 3/4 cups white sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/2 cup butter, softened; 1/2 cup buttermilk; 1 1/2 cups applesauce; 2 eggs; 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional); 1 cup raisins (optional); For the frosting:; 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter; 1 cup brown sugar; 1/4 cup hot milk; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 3 cups powdered sugar

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Applesauce cake is one of my favorite cakes-- especially during fall season. That's when I can my supply of homemade apple sauce. This cake is ultra-moist with fall spices such as cinnamon, cloves and allspice. The penuche frosting goes perfectly with this cake, in my humble opinion. It's a cooked brown sugar frosting-- that has a caramel-like flavor-- that pours on, is easy to spread and then hardens to a fudge-like consistency.

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

American

Ingredients

For the cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups applesauce
2 eggs
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins (optional)
For the frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup hot milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Sift flour, white sugar, soda, salt, baking powder, and spices into a large mixing bowl.
Mix in 1/2 cup butter, buttermilk, and applesauce. Beat for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed.
Beat in eggs.
Fold in chopped nuts and/or raisings (if using).
Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan.
Bake at 350F for 50 minutes.
For the frosting:
Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
Add the brown sugar and bring to a boil (about 2 minutes) and continue cooking until it thickens (about 1 minute more)
Let set for 15 minutes.
Mix in hot milk and gradually whisk in the confectioner's sugar. If the frosting becomes too thick, add a little milk.
Quickly spread the frosting on the cake. Once the frosting cools, it will become harder with an almost fudge-like texture.
NOTE: This frosting is excellent on chocolate cake, too!