Applesauce Cake with Caramel Icing
Servings 12
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1/3 cup butter softened
- 1 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup applesauce unsweetened
- 1 2/3 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup walnuts chopped
- 2/3 cup raisins
For the Caramel Icing
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/8 cup whole milk
- 1 cup icing sugar sifted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Grease and flour a 9" springform pan.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add the egg and and vanilla and beat in thoroughly.
- Stir the applesauce into the butter mixture.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- Stir the dry ingredients alternatively into the butter mixture with the water.
- Stir in the walnuts and raisins.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Let cool before frosting with caramel icing.
For the Caramel Icing
- Place the butter and brown sugars in a medium pot.
- Stir over medium heat and cook until it comes to a boil (it should look grainy).
- Add the milk, stir, and bring the mixture back to a boil (the brown sugar should now magically dissolve!).
- Remove the pan from the heat, and add the icing sugar and vanilla.
- Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Use the hot icing immediately to frost any cake, otherwise it will start to set.
- If the icing stiffens and becomes unusable, just put the pan back on medium heat and stir until it melts again.
- Let the icing cool and set once on the cake - it should look smooth and beautiful!