This past weekend, I visited Williams-Sonoma and as soon as I walked in the store, I was greeted with an inviting aroma of apple cider and a beautiful Thanksgiving table setting that was dressed in a Fall color palette. While perusing the store, I noticed this Apple Cake Pan. It’s one pan with two wells that creates a 3-D Cake, complete with a leafy stem. Perfect for celebrating the season, I purchased it and tried their Spiced Apple Cake recipe, that was included. Could it be the fragrant scent of the apple cider that seduced my senses into purchasing this pan?? Great marketing, huh?
I finished off the apple cake with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and pardon the heaviness of the sugar, I tore my kitchen apart, trying to find my siffter and it wasn’t until after I attempted to lightly dust it that I found it in the dishwasher, of course! Nonetheless, it was a delicious bread that tastes great with your morning coffee or as an afternoon treat!
The recipe included instructions for a buttercream filling.
Or if you prefer, you can simply have the spiced apple cake without the buttercream filling.
Note, I added a dash of Apple Pie Spice to the recipe. If you are looking for more of a textured crunch in your spiced apple cake, add some raisins and nuts to the recipe.
I am happy to let you I have a new feature on the blog where this post and all future recipe posts, will have easy to print recipes, for your convenience! Enjoy!!
- FOR THE CAKE:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp. ground cloves
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted, butter, melted and cooled
- 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 apples, peeled and coarsely grated
- FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup confectioners's sugar, sifted
- 1½ tsp. milk
- ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour both wells of the 3-D Apple Cake Pan; tap out excess flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in the grated apple until just combined; do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, dividing it evenly between the wells. Tap the pan gently on a work surface to release any air bubbles. Bake until browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool upright in the pan for 10 minutes. Tap the pan gently on a work surface to loosen the cake. Invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Let the cake cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, make the buttercream: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and salt and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute more, stopping the mixer to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- To assemble the apple cake, return both halves of the cooled cake to the pan. Level the cakes by using a serrated knife to gently slice off any portion of the cake that rose above the edge of the pan.
- Remove the top half of the apple cake from the pan. Spread a thin layer of the buttercream frosting over the cut side of the cake half that is still in the pan. Place the top cake half, cut side down, on top, lining up the edges. Gently press down to secure the two halves. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is firm, about 1 hour.
- Carefully unmold the cake and place it upright on a platter. Decorate as desired.
-Photos by Rose Angel Lopez
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