Applesauce Cake With Cream Cheese And Honey Frosting Recipes

Steps:

• Make the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with baking spray and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt and baking soda. Add the eggs, sugar, buttermilk, applesauce and oil and whisk gently just until everything is combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the batter into the prepared pan and then smooth the surface so it is even.
• Bake the cake until it is just barely firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Set the cake aside on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
• Use a dinner knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the pan sides and then invert it onto a work surface. Peel off and discard the parchment. Invert the cake one more time onto a serving platter.
• Make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, honey and salt and whisk together aggressively until the cream cheese is slightly aerated (you can also do this with a handheld electric mixer or in a stand mixer).
• Spread the frosting over the top of the cake and don't worry too much about making this perfect. A not-too-perfect cake is so much better than a perfect cake. Cut into wedges and serve. Leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Steps:

• With the electric mixer, cream the butter into the cream cheese.
• Add the applesauce.
• Gradually blend in the icing sugar until a nice creamy consistency is obtained.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk sugar and eggs until light, about 1 minute. Add applesauce, oil, fresh and ground ginger, orange zest, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, vanilla extract and salt. Whisk to combine.
• Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder, and whisk until just combined. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped candied ginger.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and firmly tap the pan on a countertop to release air bubbles. Bake the cake until golden and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack.
• When the cake is cool, make the frosting: Add the cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high until smooth, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Turn the speed to low, and slowly add the confectioners' sugar. Mix until the sugar is moistened, then turn the mixer speed up to medium-high and whip until smooth. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the ginger, lemon zest, vanilla and salt, and mix on low.
• Spread the frosting over the cooled cake in dramatic swoops and swirls, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup crystalized ginger on top. Serve at room temperature.