APPLE SPICE CAKE WITH BROWN SUGAR FROSTING

I've had my eye on this cake for some time now. It's image has been sitting quietly in the back of my mind, waiting for just the right moment to emerge. And with apple season at it's peak, that moment has arrived. It's baking time.

This may look like a complicated cake, but it's actually not. The batter is thrown together quickly using only a whisk. The frosting is a tad trickier, but not by much, and the apple chips are super easy to make. There's no peeling or coring the apple required, but you will need the help of an inexpensive mandolin to slice it paper thin and a Silpat to keep the slices from sticking to the pan. Parchment paper won't do the job. The apple chips are optional of course, but they look so pretty on the cake, and taste good too! 

RECIPE

Makes 1 - 8" cake to serve approximately 16

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 c. all purpose flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• 3/4 t. baking powder
• 3/4 t. kosher salt
• 3/4 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 t. grated nutmeg
• 1-1/3 cups light brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups grated, peeled, and cored apples (use a red baking apple such as Rome or Cortland) 
• 2 t. vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray an 8 inch square cake pan with cooking spray. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. 

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, eggs, grated apples, and vanilla. 

Add the dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until the flour has been absorbed. 

Pour batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake on the prepared baking sheet, rotating the sheet about 2/3 of the way through the baking time, until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs adhering to the bottom, 50 to 55 minutes (check the cake earlier because in my oven this took only 35 minutes.)

Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. 

APPLE CHIPS: 

• 1 large Granny Smith Apple, stem removed, cut in half (do not peel)
• Confectioner's sugar

Place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 200F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat.

Thinly slice the apple using a mandoline, peel and core included. Place the slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Sift confectioner's sugar over the slices and bake until lightly browned and somewhat dried, about 1 hour ( in my oven this took 2 hours). Loosen from the mat with an offset spatula and peel off the mat. Set aside to cool. 

 BROWN SUGAR BUTTERCREAM 

• 3 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 T. unsalted butter, firm but not chilled, cut into cubes
• 3/4 t. vanilla

Add 1 inch of water to the bottom of a double boiler and bring it to a simmer. Combine the egg whites, brown sugar, and salt in the top of the double boiler. Whisk over (not in) the simmering water until the whites are just warm to the touch and the sugar has dissolved, about 1 -2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until the meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form. With the machine running, gradually beat in the butter, piece by piece. Once it's been incorporated, it will look curdled but do not panic! Keep on beating until it becomes smooth once again. Beat
 in the vanilla.

Spread the buttercream over the top and sides of the cake. Press the apple chips into the sides of the cake over the buttercream. Cut into squares. 

Recipe from The Sono Baking Company Cookbook

Article source:http://www.playinwithmyfood.com/home/2013/10/5/apple-spice-cake-with-brown-butter-frosting