Applesauce Cake with Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting

Something Warm from the Oven by Eileen Goudge (2005)

has lots of yummy, classic recipes. I chose the Applesauce Cake with Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting because she promised that the cake gets better with time and I needed to bake early this week. for our 2nd Annual Volunteer Appreciation Tea on Friday, February 8 (which was postponed due to the blizzard.  The new date is Valentine's Day, February 14.)

Cake2-1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
1 c. chopped dates or raisins
One 1-lb jar unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg, at room temp. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x12 baking pan (I used a Bundt pan.)

In a large bowl, sift the flour and other dry ingredients. Stir in sugar. Add softened butter, 1/2 c. water and beat together.  Add nuts and dates. (This will be easier if your butter is at room temperature 70 degrees.)  Beat with an electric mixer for 2 min. at medium speed. Add applesauce and egg and beat for two min. more. Pour batter into pan. Bake until a pick comes out clean, about 40-50 min.

Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting3/4 c. pure maple syrup
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. confectioner's sugar, sifted
Bring the syrup to a boil over med. high heat. Turn the heat to low and simmer, tilting pan occasionally until the syrup is reduced to 1/2 cup about ten min. In a bowl, cream the softened butter and cream cheese together with confectioner's sugar. Pour the reduced syrup into a cup nested in a mixing bowl partially filled with ice water. Stir until lukewarm 3-4 min. It will thicken and lose its gloss, turning a creamy caramel color. Quickly scrape the syrup into the butter-cream cheese and beat until the frosting is spreading consistency. Pour over Bundt cake letting it spill over the sides.