Sweet Thursday Link Up and Apple Cake!

Hello everybody! Welcome to The Coffee Shop, as some of you might know today is "Sweet Thursday" (it's our third week) in the Coffee Shop! And I hope you join and Link Up with us! I will be posting a dessert recipe and all you need to do is post about something sweet/dessert and link up with us! it's that easy! hopefully you will join us today and every Thursday!

So... Today I will not only be sharing a GREAT RECIPE! But... it's also the day I am supposed to write about a cake I made! yes... I am supposed to write about it because I am part of a group of "cake bakers" ...

I just joined so this is my first cake and I am glad it turned out GREAT! The aromas coming from my oven were AMAZING! and hubby and I just enjoyed this cake so much that I am SOOO looking forward to the "cakes to come" ... Its texture is really soft and rich, I compare this cake to an AWESOME choir... there aren't any "voices" (flavors in this case) that are too overpowering or out of tune! The flavors blend in perfect harmony! It's definitely a "grown up kind of cake" too! Not for kids as I doubt they will like it as much.  So... here it is:

Apple Cake with Maple Frosting. 

From The Cake Book

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk (you can also use plain yogurt)
2 cups of Granny Smith apples (I almost used 3 apples), peeled and diced (1/3 inch pieces)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour through salt.) Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute, then gradually add the brown sugar and continue beating on medium-high speed until well blended and light, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after adding each egg, and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk (or yogurt) in two additions. Mix just until blended. Turn off the mixer, add the diced apple and chopped walnuts, and stir them in by hand.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is light golden brown and a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack, then turn out onto a serving platter before you frost it.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp. maple flavoring
1 cup confectioner’s sugar (sifted)

Directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the vanilla, maple syrup, spices and salt. Reduce the speed to low and add the confectioner’s sugar. Beat until well blended. Increase the speed to high, and beat until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.

© Paloma King