Description
Olivia Walton’s Applesauce Cake is a moist and flavorful dessert featuring tender cake layers infused with warm spices, plump golden raisins, and crunchy nuts. This classic recipe is topped with a rich and creamy whiskey frosting that adds a subtle boozy sweetness, perfect for special occasions or cozy gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups self-rising flour, sifted (no substitutes)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups applesauce, jarred or homemade
- 2 cups golden raisins
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
Whiskey Frosting Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons cream or half and half
- 4 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and dust them lightly with flour, then tap out the excess. Set the prepared pans aside.
- Soften the Raisins: Place the golden raisins in a small bowl, pour 1 cup of very hot water over them, and let them soak for 10 minutes to plump up. Drain well afterward.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the self-rising flour with cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg. Remove 1/2 cup of this flour and stir it into the chopped nuts and drained raisins. Set both the flour mixture and the nuts & raisins mixture aside separately.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, beat the softened butter, sugar, and vanilla extract together until the mixture is light and creamy. Then, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Alternately add the remaining flour mixture and applesauce to the butter mixture, beating on medium speed until everything is combined. Then fold in the floured nuts and raisins gently by hand.
- Divide and Bake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cakes: Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then remove them from the pans and place on a wire rack or baking sheet to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare the Whiskey Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine softened butter and powdered sugar. Add the cream and bourbon whiskey, then whip with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Add a little more cream if needed to reach your desired frosting consistency.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake layers are completely cool, frost the cake evenly with the whiskey frosting.
Notes
- Be sure to use self-rising flour as substitutes may change the texture and rise of the cake.
- Soaking the raisins in hot water makes them tender and juicy inside the cake.
- Allow the cake to cool fully before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
- For a homemade applesauce, cook peeled and chopped apples with a bit of water until soft, then mash.
- Optional: You can substitute pecans for walnuts based on preference.
