There is wonderful seafood restaurant in Berkeley, California called Sea Salt Restaurant. It's blue decor gives the restaurant serenity, and it's dinner menu gives the best of what you can expect from the Bay -- fresh seafood with local flair.
Probably one of the best staples of Sea Salt is it's dessert menu. At any given time, you can find the freshest of sorbets, the finest French Patisserie's and a famous selection of cookies and truffles. This fall, one of the best recipes on the dessert menu is a Gravenstein Applesauce Cake -- which is easily the best recipe for a homemade, soft and flavorful applesauce cake.
Although the origin of the Applesauce cake is not known, the recipe usually is preceded by an "Aunt" or "Grandma's" when it comes to it's contents. It's a down-home, traditional recipe that makes for one of the tastiest cakes for autumn, whether it be for a weekend snack, a quick breakfast or for Thanksgiving dinner.
Adapted from Country Living Magazine, this Applesauce Cake has been through trial and error in order to hit perfection. Pair this Applesauce Cake with cinnamon flavored whipped cream for a real treat.
The best Applesauce Cake recipe - The Gravenstein Applesauce Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups of homemade Gravenstein Applesauce (for a budget fix, Mott's or even generic-brand unsweetened applesauce works -- just make sure it is unsweetened)
- Cinnamon Whipped Cream (2 cups of whipping cream, 3/4 cup of powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon - beaten to stiff peaks).
- 2 tablespoon of powdered sugar for dusting
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a mixer at medium-high speed, beat the butter for 1 minute. Add the sugars and continue to beat until fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for 2 more minutes. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating it with the applesauce and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Divide the batter equally among the pans and spread evenly. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until a tester inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean -- 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in the cake pans on a wire rack to room temperature. Using a knife, loosen the cake layers from the sides of the pans and invert the layers onto the wire rack.
- Finish the cake: Place one cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread half of the Cinnamon Whipped Cream on the layer. Place a second layer over the first and repeat. Top with the final layer and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Serves 8. Store covered for up to three days.
Carol Hilker - Carol Hilker is a Freelance writer based in San Francisco, CA. Originally from Chicago, IL, Carol grew up studying theater, dance and ...
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