Serves8
- Active time:25 min
- Start to finish:2 hrs
FROM GOURMET TODAY BY RUTH REICHL
September 2009
This homespun cake is the quintessential after-school snack.
-
1 1/4
cups
all-purpose flour
-
1
teaspoon
baking powder
-
1/2
teaspoon
baking soda
-
1/2
teaspoon
salt
-
1
teaspoon
ground cinnamon
-
1/2
teaspoon
ground ginger
-
1/4
teaspoon
freshly grated nutmeg
-
Pinch of ground cloves
-
1
stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
-
1
cup
packed light brown sugar
-
2
large eggs, left at room temperature for 30 minutes
-
1
teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
1
cup
unsweetened applesauce
-
1
cup
coarsely chopped pecans
-
Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat over to 350°F. Butter baking pan.
-
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
-
Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer (fitted with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and applesauce, then scrape down sides of bowl (mixture will look curdled). At low speed, add flour mixture and mix, scraping down sides of bowl, just until flour is incorporated. Stir in pecans.
-
Spread batter evenly in baking pan. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack for 30 minutes.
-
Run a thin knife around sides of pan. Turn cake out of pan, if desired, and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Cook’s Note: The cake can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
