Well, welcome to November! I can’t believe it’s here, but it is! The trees are almost bare and everything is starting to look sort of brown around here. Every once in a while the sky turns that dark, bluish gray and it makes even the pale yellow remaining leaves and gray tree bark stand out. This time of year here, you can easily see the different weather moving across the lake, weather it’s a thunderstorm, a cold front or lake effect snow! I’m trying to get my house and kitchen ready for the Holidays. Today I am sharing this delicious and very easy Cinnamon Applesauce Cake with Penuche Frosting that’s a perfect casual dessert you can share with company!
Applesauce (homemade or store bought) is blended into a moist batter along with delicious warm cinnamon, nutmeg and a little clove, then baked, cooled and frosted with this yummy simple Penuche Frosting. If you’ve never heard of or had a penuche frosting before, it is a rich and creamy frosting that has a caramel like flavor to it from the butter, brown sugar and cream. It’s really wonderful!
Most of the time I prepare desserts for the weekends. We seem to have more time to just really sit and take our time with our meals and I love having a special treat ready for my family on those days. Sometimes I want dessert during the week, but I don’t really have the time or feel like taking the time to make it. That’s where this cake comes in. It’s made in a 9 x 13 pan, frosted in the same pan it was baked in and served right from that very same pan. I always make sure I use one with a lid, so there is no fussing around with plastic wrap for the left over cake either. This is truly a simple homemade dessert that you can treat yourself and your family to all week, all in one pan! 🙂
If you like having a few easy homemade desserts on hand for company or just your family during this cozy time of year, make sure you add this cake to you list. You can even make it the day before if you like! It really is just lovely with a cup of coffee or tea when you are sitting around chatting in the evening with family and friends. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- For The Cake:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups applesauce
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. clove
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- For The Frosting:
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Sift the dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- In your Kitchen Aid Mixer, cream the butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy, making sure to scrape down the sides.
- Beat in the eggs and the vanilla.
- Add the applesauce and mix until incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients, spices and the buttermilk and mix until combined and smooth.
- Pour the batter into a lightly sprayed 9 x 13 baking dish or pan and spread evenly with the back of a spoon or spatula.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
- While you are waiting for the cake to cool, you can start making the frosting.
- In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar and vanilla over medium heat, stirring at all times.
- Bring to a low boil and slowly add the heavy cream while continuing to whisk together.
- Continue whisking while it simmers for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Add the confectioner's sugar and whisk until thick & smooth.
- Spread the frosting on top of the cake, cut & serve!
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*Linking up at The Best Blog Recipes, Miz Helen’s Country Cottage, Simply Gloria, Savvy Southern Style, Buns In My Oven, Diana Rambles
I think this would be a great dessert for me to make for Thanksgiving this year. I’m tired of the usual pies. I’d never heard of penuche frosting, but it looks just as easy to make as cream cheese frosting. Thanks for sharing this at Project Parade!
Stephanie recently posted…Whimsical Christmas Decorations
Oh, it is really easy Stephanie! I think would be really nice for Thanksgiving as well! I really hope you like it 🙂
I wanted to let you know that I did make this for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit! I didn’t use as much confectioner’s sugar (we like stuff just kind of sweet) so it was more like a glaze than frosting but the awesome flavor was there. I’ve been informed by my family that I HAVE to make this again.
Stephanie recently posted…You got this! Sort of?
Oh, I am so happy to hear that Stephanie! I’m glad you & your family enjoyed it! 🙂
What a great Cinnamon Applesauce Cake, it looks delicious! Hope you are staying warm and cozy in this cold weather and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Miz Helen recently posted…Caramel Pumpkin Skillet Pie
Thanks Miz Helen!
My mom used to make this frosting. Sometimes I think it got a little hard when it set up. It was a piece of candy. We loved it anyway!
Linda
Linda recently posted…Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
Thanks Linda! This version almost sets like an icing on top and then it’s really creamy underneath! We love it:)
I can’t see the buttermilk listed anywhere in the ingredients. Sounds like a very yummy Applesauce cake, Shannon.
Oh my gosh! Thanks so much for catching that Linda! I don’t know how that got left off. It’s fixed now:) Oh, my family just loves this cake. I hope you give it a try!