#Cooking thoughts 28.09.2024
- I may SNEAK this Apple Sauce Cake in before my birthday.
- I’m in the mood for a “Fall Cake” (Ina Garten)…
- …with apples, nuts, rasins and spices with my coffee!
- I can’t remember the last time I baked something, oh, wait,
- …May 2023: a pound cake that was awful…hard a a brick!
- Now the next plan of action…buy a bottle of Kentucky Bourbon!
APPLE SAUCE CAKE…. (link to recipe)
28.09.2024:
- I made it and it was delcious!
- I needed to watch the over temp carefully…
- …which resulted in 60 mn cooking time instead of 40-45.
- NO frosting…that would make the cake TOO rich, too heavy!
- There is a lot of butter (150 gr) in this cake
- ….with subtle spices (nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon)
- ...and the frosting cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar
- would “overpower” the rest of the cake and make my teeth tingle!
- Used a (9 x 2 inch round baking pan but
- …next time rectangle pan 23 x 33 cm
- …easier to cut into pieces to put in the freezer.
- I’ve compared other chef’s, Delia, Nigella, Martha Stewart,
- …versions of this cake and Ina’s is the best.
INGREDIENTS:
- ¾ cup golden raisins
- 2 tablespoons good bourbon
- NOTE: Wine Shoppe guy in my sleepy town said he sold his
- ….first bottle of Jim Beam Kentucky Bourbon ever …to me!
- I told him it was for cooking…wink, wink!
- 10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) = 150 gr unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for the pan
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups unsweetened applesauce, such as Mott’s
- ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
You know the drill:
- Mix “dry” ingredients together (flour, baking soda, salt)
- Mix “wet” ingredients in mixer I used the paddle attachment
- …with my Kitchenmaid
- …til butter + sugar fluffy.
- Add: 1 egg at a time…mix…the next egg… mix + vanilla extract.
- Combine : the “dry” ingredients in portions to “wet” ingredients.
- Fold: in chopped nuts and raisins soaked in Bourbon and
- …any juices from leftover Jim Beam into the batter.
- Pour: into pan with parchment on the bottom and sides greased and floured.
- Bake: 45-60 minutes….test with cake tester to see if it is done!
- Bon Appètit!
- PS: Don’t let a good thing go to waste
- …a tablespoon of Bourbon in a nice cup of coffee
- …warms the cockles of my heart!
17 Comments
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NancyElin.blog 
Oh my goodness Nancy you make it sound so yummy! I don’t drink but the bourbon in the coffee sounds delish! Mary Lee
Mary Lee, sometimes on a cold fall or winter morning….an nice cup of coffee with a small taste of Bourbon is delicious. It is smoother than Irish wiskey to the taste. Start baking YOUR autumn cake!
This sounds just wonderful!! But how much of it will actually make it to the freezer? Ha, Ha, Ha!! Maybe leave a slice for your postman?!
Your name will be on the wall of fame at the wine shop!! And just think you are now all set for the Kentucky Derby next year!!
Jim Beam is really very nice! I never had it…and as I said to Mary Lee, it tastes so smooth in the coffee.
My bourbon of choice is Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and has a black label. I just used some to make Maple Bourbon Sloppy Joes. Delicious! I also use it in a Thanksgiving turkey basting sauce.
I have all…most of Ina’s books and might have to make this cake now. Sounds so good. My mom used to make an applesauce cake and she used her own homemade applesauce and even made her own raisins!! Mom and Dad went somewhere in Arizona, picked a ton of grapes and then dried them in the hot Arizona sun on racks that my dad made. Best raisins and apple sauce in the world.
Thanks for all the tips and tricks you added to Ina’s recipe as I am a crappy baker and need all the guidance I can get. Ha ha.
Jinjer, I’ll look up your “Maple Bourbon Sloppy Joes” on the internet and good idea for turkey basting! I was too lazy to make my own apple sauce,…but it is just appels in a pan…splash of lemon juice…maybe a dash of vanilla extract + some “apple spices”. So quick and delicious. I do enjoy you ‘recipes’ your blog…!
Jinjger, I found the recipe for Maple Bourbon Sloppy Joes, I’m going to try it next week. I do want to add syrup and bourbon on 1TB at a time…then taste. Just to be on the safe side, 3 TB’s sounds like a lot of syrup and bourbon all at once!
This is the recipe I used and I was scared that it would be TOO MUCH Worcestershire sauce, but no. The full amount was perfect.
Definitely add the syrup 1TB at a time so it’s not too sweet for you, but go ahead and put that whole shot of bourbon in. So gooooooood!!!!
https://mixandmatchmama.com/2024/09/maple-bourbon-sloppy-joes-2/
Jinjer, I looked at you blog post 22 July 2023 – Sloppy Joes according to you co-worker, Nikki. It sounds delicious….this is the one I’ll make and just at bourbon to it!
OMG, I found Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey in The Netherlands! I’m going to try it! I’ll let you know how it tastes in my coffee!
Great! Let me know how it compares to Makers Mark as I’ve never tried Makers Mark but everyone says it’s the best. LOL I only know Eagle Rare.
Can’t wait to do a consumer comparison!
And one last thing…I use pure maple syrup, Grade A, Dark Color, which used to be Grade B, but I guess dumb Americans thought Grade B meant inferior quality so they had to change everything to Grade A and then specify the different colors. LOL
Amazin’ Raisin Cake
Aunt Sue
3 cups unsifted flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup real mayonnaise
1/3 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3 cups chopped apples
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts
Combine the first ten ingredients, flour through cloves, in a large bowl for an electric mixer and blend for 2 minutes. Stir in apples, raisins and walnuts. Pour into two 9’ inch round cake pans that have been greased and floured. Bake at 350*F for 45 min. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Frost with whipped cream or cream cheese frosting.
Kath, when I read mayonaise in a cake I start of winch and shake my head. I’m sure it works (just an oil base for cake)…but still not for me.
Aunt Sue always used to say “Never tell them what’s in it or they won’t eat it”! Ha, Ha, Ha! It’s just eggs and oil!
…that’s true, eggs and oils. Words of wisdom from Aunt Sue, ha!