Moist Apple Cake Recipe

16

Ingredients

For the Ginger Topping:
For the walnut topping: (Can make ginger topping as well - see below)
1/4 lb. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
4 oz. (1 cup) whole walnuts, coarsely chopped
4 1/2 oz. flour
1/3 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 lb. (1/2 c.) cold unsalted butter, cut in 8 pieces
For the Cake:
9 oz. (2 cups) flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. table salt
3 oz. (6 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, room temp.
3/4 c. smooth homemade or store bought applesauce
1 c. sour cream

Preparation

Step 1

Make the walnut topping
Melt the butter in a medium bowl in the microwave (or in a skillet and pour into a medium bowl). Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and the cinnamon and stir until blended. Add the flour, confectioners' sugar, and the walnuts, mixing with your fingers until it's well combined; the mixture should be crumbly but also clump together. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the Ginger Topping (the size of the crumb is a function of how thoroughly you mix - the more you mix, the clumpier it gets)
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, ground ginger and salt. Whisk to blend. Add the butter and work it in well with your fingers until the mixture holds together in small clumps and there are very few fine grains left in the bowl. Regrigerate until ready to use.

Make the cake:
Heat oven to 350. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13' baking pan. Line with parchment and butter that, too.

In a med. bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and baking soda, cinnamon and salt to blend.

Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium until combined (but not fluffy), scraping the bowl as needed, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.

Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture, mixing on medium low until combined. Add the applesauce, mixing on medium until incorporated and scraping the bowl as needed. Mix in another 3rd of the flour mix, then the sour cream and then the remaining flour mixture, mixing after each addition until just incorporated. Don't over mix. Scrape the batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake until the edges are slight set and the rest is very jiggly, about 15 minutes. Scatter the walnut topping evenly over the cake and bake until the crumbs are golden brown, the center of the cake springs back when lightly touched and toothpick comes out clean - 30-35 minutes. If crumbs brown before cake is done, cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let cool on rack for at least 20 minutes; serve warm.