Ginger-Cardamom Applesauce Snack Cake

By MooK

Applesauce cakes run the gamut from dense, chunky fruitcakes to gummy “health” cakes without much flavor. We wanted a moist and tender cake that actually tasted like its namesake.

It was easy to achieve the looser, more casual crumb that is best suited to a rustic snack cake. Since this texture is similar to that of quick breads and muffins, we used the same technique, i.e. mixing the wet ingredients separately and then gently adding the dry ingredients by hand. The harder challenge was to develop more apple flavor—simply adding more applesauce made for a gummy cake and fresh apples added too much moisture. But two other sources worked well. Apple cider, reduced to a syrup, contributed a pleasing sweetness and a slight tang without excess moisture. And plumping dried apples in the cider while it was reducing added even more apple taste without making the cake chunky. With such great apple flavor, we didn’t want the cake to be too sweet or rich, so we rejected the idea of topping the cake with a glaze or frosting. But we found we liked the modicum of textural contrast provided by a simple sprinkling of spiced granulated sugar.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup dried apples (2 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2/3 cup sugar (4 3/4 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon chopped crystalized ginger
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce , room temperature
• 1 large egg , room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and cooled slightly
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 16-inch length parchment paper or aluminum foil and fold lengthwise to 7-inch width. Spray 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and fit parchment into dish, pushing it into corners and up sides; allow excess to overhang edges of dish.
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2. Bring dried apples and cider to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat; cook until liquid evaporates and mixture appears dry, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
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3. Whisk flour and baking soda in medium bowl to combine; set aside. In second medium bowl, whisk sugar, ginger, and cardamom. Measure 2 tablespoons sugar-spice mixture into small bowl, add crystallized ginger, and set aside for topping.
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4. In food processor, process cooled dried-apple mixture and applesauce until smooth, 20 to 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl as needed; set aside. Whisk egg and salt in large bowl to combine. Add sugar-spice mixture and whisk continuously until well combined and light colored, about 20 seconds. Add butter in three additions, whisking after each. Add applesauce mixture and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients; using rubber spatula, fold gently until just combined and evenly moistened.
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5. Turn batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with rubber spatula. Sprinkle reserved 2 tablespoons topping evenly over batter. Bake until wooden skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Run knife along cake edges without parchment to release. Remove cake from pan by lifting parchment overhang and transfer to cutting board. Cut cake and serve.