Apple Spice Cake

Apple Spice Cake
Peanut Butter and Julie Blog
Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 pounds tart apples, cored and grated

12 ounces unsalted butter, softened

1 cup golden brown sugar, packed

1 cup sugar

Zest of one orange

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the maple glaze

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup golden brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup cream

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon maple extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Prepare the cake: Preheat the oven to 325F degrees. Spray a non-stick 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and all of the spices into a medium bowl. Squeeze the excess juice from the grated apples.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, sugar and orange zest at medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in the vanilla.

Beat in the flour mixture on low speed until well incorporated. Measure out 2 1/2 cups of the grated apples and mix them into the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.

Bake the cake for 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted into the center emerges clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert onto a rack set over foil.

Prepare the glaze while the cake bakes: Combine all of the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and stir constantly for 1 minute. Remove the glaze from the heat.

Using a toothpick or a small skewer, pierce holes all over the top of the warm cake. Pour the glaze over the top, allowing it to be absorbed into the holes for 30 minutes. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature