Description
This warming Ina Garten applesauce cake with bourbon raisins showcases homey comfort through elegant baking techniques. Moist crumb and rich spices create a memorable dessert you’ll savor with each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10 tbsps (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 extra-large eggs
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1½ tsps baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup golden raisins
- ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 2 tbsps bourbon
- 2 tsps pure vanilla extract
- Whole pecan halves
- Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
- Raisin Preparation: Immerse raisins in bourbon, microwave briefly, and let steep for 15 minutes to maximize flavor absorption.
- Oven Setup: Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F. Meticulously prepare cake pan by buttering, lining with parchment, then dusting with flour to prevent sticking.
- Creaming Stage: Utilize electric mixer to whip butter and sugars until fluffy and pale, creating a light foundational mixture for the cake.
- Egg Integration: Introduce eggs and vanilla gradually, mixing thoroughly after each addition to ensure a smooth, homogeneous batter.
- Dry Ingredient Combination: Sift together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt, creating a uniform dry mixture that will provide structure and flavor.
- Batter Assembly: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, alternating with applesauce to maintain batter’s delicate consistency.
- Raisin and Nut Incorporation: Fold bourbon-soaked raisins and pecans into batter, distributing evenly to ensure balanced flavor in every slice.
- Baking Process: Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 40-45 minutes, monitoring for golden brown color and clean cake tester.
- Cooling Technique: Rest cake in pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack, allowing complete temperature reduction before frosting.
- Final Presentation: Elegantly spread Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting across cake’s top, decorating with pecan halves for a sophisticated finish.
Notes
- Boost Raisin Flavor: Microwaving raisins with bourbon helps them plump up and absorb maximum bourbon essence, creating deeper, richer taste profiles.
- Prevent Cake Sinking: Avoid overmixing batter to maintain light, airy texture and prevent dense, heavy cake consistency.
- Master Ingredient Integration: Gradually add eggs and mix on medium speed to ensure smooth, uniform batter without curdling or separation.
- Temperature Matters: Let cake cool completely before frosting to prevent melting and ensure clean, professional-looking finish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg