Pecan Applesauce Cake

An exceptional, honey-sweetened applesauce and pecan cake topped with a brown sugar-sweetened whipped cream and cream cheese icing.

Recipe Ingredients:

Chunky Applesauce:
4 apples
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water

Cake:
1/2 cup unsalted butter or corn oil
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup apple juice
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (optional)
1/2 cup dried currants
1 cup pecans, chopped

Whipped Cream Icing:
2 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whipping cream

Pecan halves, for garnish (optional)

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F ( 175°C). Lightly grease and flour a 9 x13-inch baking pan.
2. Make Chunky Applesauce: Peel, core, and slice apples. In a medium saucepan combine apples with sugar and the water; cover and cook until apples are just tender but not mushy (do not overcook); cool to room temperature.
3. For Cake: In a large bowl cream butter (or corn oil) with brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat. Combine honey with apple juice; set aside.
4. Sift together flour, soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves and allspice (if used). Add to egg mixture alternately with honey-apple juice mixture, beating after each addition. Stir in currants, pecans and the cooled Chunky Applesauce.
5. Bake until cake tester comes out clean (40 to 50 minutes). Cool in pan on wire rack.
6. Spread Whipped Cream Icing over top of cake. Decorate each serving with a pecan half, if desired.
7. For Whipped Cream Icing: Beat cream cheese with brown sugar until smooth; add vanilla. Whip cream until it holds peaks, and gently fold into cream cheese mixture.

Makes 12 servings.

Recipe provided courtesy of the National Honey Board.