Apple or Pumpkin Butter Cake & Buttered Caramel Frosting

By weavincanuck

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup apple butter (make your own) or pumpkin butter
• 3/4 cup very warm water
• 3 cups gfJules™ All Purpose Gluten Free Flour (405 grams)
• 1 Tbs. + 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 2 cups unrefined coconut palm sugar (or light brown sugar)
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• Buttered Caramel Frosting
• 1/3 cup butter or non-dairy alternative (Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
• 1/2 cup unrefined coconut palm sugar (or light brown sugar)
• 1/3 cup + 1 Tbs. apple butter (Musselman’s® Apple Butter)
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1-2 Tbs. milk, dairy or non-dairy
• 3 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• 1/2 pecans, chopped (to garnish)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Details

Adapted from gfjules.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350° F (325° F convection).

Oil two 8-9-inch cake pans or oil the sides and line with parchment circles.

In a small bowl, whisk together apple butter and very warm water. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the gfJules™ Flour, baking soda, spices and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil, vinegar and vanilla together. Add dry ingredients and mix slowly while adding the apple butter-water mixture, stirring until fully integrated. Stir in pecans, if using.

Evenly distribute batter between the two cake pans and bake for approximately 30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes will come out clean when the cakes are done, and they will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan a bit.

Remove to cool on wire racks for 20 minutes, then gently turn out to completely cool. Frost with your favorite frosting, or my Buttered Caramel Frosting, below.


Frosting:
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the coconut palm sugar and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves. Slowly add the apple butter and bring to a boil.

Transfer to a metal mixing bowl and refrigerate until fully cooled. Once chilled, whisk in vanilla, 1 tablespoon of milk and confectioner’s sugar. Beat until creamy (add more milk, as necessary for frosting to be spreadable).

Spread evenly over cooled cake, or just on the cake tops for the cake as pictured. Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top, if desired.