Cinnamon Apple Cake

When Food Now! send out their cake recipe newsletter last week, I knew this recipe was the one for me. I still have a gallon bag of wild applesauce in my refrigerator that desperately needs to be used before it goes bad. This recipe called for sliced apples but I replaced it with applesauce (2 cup vs the 3 1/2 cups of apples). I, also, substituted oil for the butter in the cake and dried elderberries for the cranberries. My only complaint is that I should have cut back the amount of elderberries since they are significantly smaller than the cranberries. But what we got was a wonderful cake that we got to snack on warm just before bed (how awesome is that). My husband liked it so much, he ate another piece before washing the plate.

Cinnamon-Apple CakeBy: Lisa Saltzman
CAKE
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 Fuji or Braeburn apples (1 lb.), peeled, chopped (3 1/2 cups)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup dried cranberries

SAUCE
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or orange juice
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour 10-cup Bundt or tube pan.

2. Whisk melted butter, sugar and brown sugar in large bowl; whisk in eggs. Whisk flour, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt in medium bowl; gently stir into butter mixture. Fold in apples, walnuts and cranberries. (Batter will be stiff.) Spoon into pan.

3. Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 15 minutes. Invert cake onto wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.*

4. Meanwhile, beat 1/2 cup butter and powdered sugar in medium bowl at medium-high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until well-blended. Add all remaining sauce ingredients; beat 1 minute or until smooth. Serve at room temperature. (Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

TIP *To warm cake, cover loosely with foil. Bake at 300°F. for 15 to 20 minutes.