This cake has all the spice it needs with out losing that apple flavor. It’s very mist and that’s from its name-sake ingredient, applesauce.
serves 10
Ingredients
- vegetable oil cooking spray
- 12 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
- ½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon chinese 5 spice powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cup applesauce
- 2 mcintosh apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼‑inch-thick wedges
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10-inch spring-form cake pan with cooking spray; set it aside.
Make topping: Stir together 4 tablespoons butter, the dark brown sugar, oats, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt until smooth. Stir in walnuts; set aside.
Make batter: Sift flour, baking soda, nutmeg, 5 spice powder, and remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 3/4 teaspoon salt; set aside. Put remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, the granulated sugar, and light-brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs, one at a time. Reduce speed to low; mix in applesauce and then flour mixture. Add the flour in three additions mixing between each addition. Do not over mix.
Pour batter into oiled pan; sprinkle reserved crumb topping over batter. Lay apples on top, tucking some into batter.
Bake until a cake tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cake can be stored at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, up to 3 days.
