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Apple Spice Snack Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

February 07, 2023

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After my daughter was born 6 years ago, we kind of found ourselves in a yucky job/living/education situation. My husband had to finish school that fall semester or we couldn’t survive financially, so he was taking 17 credit hours, working as a TA, and doing a paid internship every evening from 4:00-11:00. We had 1 car, 2 kids, and no money, so I spent my free time tutoring English, reading these new-fangled blog thingies, and using our meager grocery budget to experiment in the kitchen.

One of the recipes that I made that fall was an apple spice snack cake, and I distinctly remember it because a) it was a lot of work, b) it was a recipe from someone famous, and c) it was gross–big and heavy and rock-like and kind of flavorless. And I was just so mad that I had spent what little time and money I had on such a disappointing recipe.

So ever since, in the back of my brain, I’ve always meant to work on another apple spice cake, one that was delicious and not nearly so time consuming and also a delivery device for the most delicious frosting in ALL THE UNIVERSE. Yeah, I’m yelling again. It’s that good. I ended up adapting this age-old (okay, age of written-down recipes old) snack cake recipe and it came out amazing.

First, adjust the rack to the middle position (or the best position in your oven for baking; mine is NOT the middle position) and preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9×13″ baking pan and set aside.

Then you’re going to need to soften up the apples a little. You’ll need 2 cups of chopped, peeled tart apples (like Granny Smiths), 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.

In a small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat until the butter starts to bubble. Add the apples, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and sauté

until the apples start to soften and the brown sugar/butter mixture becomes thick and syrupy, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the cake, you’re going to need all-purpose flour, baking powder, table salt, eggs, butter, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, buttermilk, and the sautéed apples.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar

on medium high speed for about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy (scrape the bowl as necessary). Add eggs one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. Reduce speed to medium and add 1/3 of the flour mixture, mixing until incorporated. Mix in 1/2 cup milk. Repeat with another addition of flour, the rest of the milk, and ending with the final addition of flour.

Add the apple mixture to the cake batter

and fold gently (you don’t have to completely incorporate the two mixtures–it’s kind of fun to have some cinnamon-y swirls in there).

Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 35-50 (I have a gas oven, so my times tend to be way off; I’m giving a lot of leeway here) minutes or until the cake is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

While the cake is cooling, place 1/2 cup (that’s 1 stick) of salted butter into a small saucepan and heat over medium, stirring frequently, until it starts to bubble. When it begins to bubble, reduce the heat to low. Don’t go anywhere–things can go south quickly. Once the butter becomes very frothy, you’ll start to notice a caramel-like smell–that means the butter is browning. When the butter is golden brown (and before it burns), remove it from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, the powdered sugar, and the melted butter and mix on high speed with a stand or electric mixer. Add additional heavy cream in order to reach the desired consistency.

When the cake is completely cool, spread the frosting over the cake and cut into squares.

Makes 12-16 servings.