Apple Cake with Maple Frosting

By cwaldron09

As this cake bakes, it will fill your house with the warm scent of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and sweet baked apple. It is a moist, unpretentious cake, perfect as a simple fall dessert or snack.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups Granny Smith apples; peeled, cored, and spiralized with the red blade (before spiralizing, cut a slit in one side of of the apple, stopping near the center)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• Cream Cheese Maple Frosting (makes 1.5 cups)
• 6oz cream cheese, softened
• 3 tblspn unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp maple extract
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Preparation

Step 1

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9inch square baking pan. Dust the pan with flour.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Step 3

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar and beat at medium-high speed until well blended and light, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating it with the buttermilk in two additions and mixing just until blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and stir in the apples and walnuts.

Step 4

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes, until it golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake and comes out clean. Cook the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Step 5

For the Frosting - In the bowl of an electric mixer, suing the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and maple extracts, spices, and salt. Reduce the speed to low, add the confectioners' sugar, and beat until well blended. Raise the speed to high and beat until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Step 6

Frost the top of the cooled cake with the maple frosting. Cut the cake into squares and serve it directly from the pan.