It’s officially fall and baking season. Few things are more tempting than the smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves in freshly baked goods. Our recipe for Apple Spice Cake will bring back memories and make new ones. Best of all55bet, this spice cake won’t leave you feeling weighed down.
We made this cake by using less fat than a typical cake recipe. To do this, we cut the oil and added some applesauce. The applesauce increases the apple flavor and provides some additional nutrients. Additional moisture and natural sweetness comes from including three or four Granny Smith apples. Apples, which promote digestive health, are high in fiber and pectin, which also helps to regulate blood sugar.
For more health benefits and a heartier texture, we used whole-wheat flour along with standard all-purpose white flour. Specifically, whole-wheat flour has more protein, fiber and nutrients.
Finally, we maximized the flavor of our spice cake by using toasted pecans and raisins soaked in rum extract and water. If you don’t like the taste of rum, soak the raisins in vanilla extract and water. These extra steps add more flavor and crunch, and they’re definitely worth the effort.
Because this recipe makes 16 servings, you may have leftovers. To re-create the just-baked taste, simply warm a piece of cake in the microwave for about 10 seconds.
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For an autumn treat after school or after work, add some fat-free whipped topping to the cake. It provides a creamy contrast to the nuts. On a chilly morning, this cake — and some eggs, yogurt or milk for protein — can be a quick way to start your day and keep you going until lunch.
Bethany Thayer is a registered dietitian nutritionist with Henry Ford Health. For more recipes and health information, visit henryford.com/blog. For questions about today's recipe, email [email protected].
Apple Spice Cake
Makes: 16 servings / Prep time: 45 minutes / Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Vegetable oil cooking spray
½ cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon rum extract
⅓ cup water
¾ cup golden raisins
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
½ cup honey
3 eggs
½ cup applesauce
¼ cup canola oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1½ pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and 1/4-inch-diced (3 to 4 apples)
8-ounce container of frozen, fat-free whipped topping, thawed
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch cake pan with vegetable oil cooking spray.
Place pecans on a rimmed sheet pan and toast for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine rum extract, water and raisins. Microwave for 60 seconds. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, honey, eggs, applesauce, canola oil and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves into a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, until just combined.
Drain raisins and discard liquid. With a rubber spatula, fold the raisins, pecans, and apples into the batter. Spread into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool, cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature topped with about 2 tablespoons of fat-free whipped topping.
From Henry Ford LiveWell.
317 calories (25% from fat)55bet, 9 grams fat (2 grams sat. fat), 56 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 99 mg sodium, 43 mg cholesterol, 107 mg calcium, 3 grams fiber. Food exchanges: 3 bread, 1 fruit, 2 fat.