On a Slow Saturday afternoon…
I baked a cake.
Dearest was doing some work and I was enjoying the lightness of the day. Before we went outside to do some gardening, I told Dearest that I’d bake him a cake….
I had all the things of Autumn in mind.
I bought a cake mix by Pilsbury called, ‘Caramel Apple’. I was going to make a caramel frosting, but decided to go down a different road with this one. I decided to stray from the package directions and make it a little spicier, a little fruitier and nutier. The fragrance and the flavors of Autumn.
I told Dearest I made a cake, with applesauce, caramel, spices, cranberries, raisins, and pecans….
‘What kind of cake is that? What do you call it?’
I call it Autumn.
Kathy’s Autumn Cake
1 package of Caramel Apple Cake Mix
1 cup whole Buttermilk
1/3 cup canola oil
3 eggs
1/3 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon Chai Spice Seasoning
1/2 tablespoon Cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped pecans
4 oz raisins
4 oz. dried cranberries
Apple Cider Icing (in a bowl pour in apple cider enough to drizzle – somewhat thickly)
Directions
In an electric mixer, place cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs and spices. On low setting combine all ingredients. Beat the batter for two minutes on medium speed. Add the fruit and the nuts pulsing until just mixed. Prepare cake pan by greasing then flouring (I used a Bundt pan) Pour batter into cake pan and bake for approximately 40 minutes at 350° (at 30 minutes I checked and each five minutes afterward – it was done when a knife stuck through came out clean). Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto baking racks to cool. Place cake on cake stand and prepare icing drizzle liberally round the cake and sprinkle lightly with Cinnamon.
Serve with Hot Apple Cider
Enjoy!