Apple Butter Cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups apple butter
• 1 cup grated apple from about 1 large or 2 small peeled apples
• 1 batch of your favorite frosting recipe or purchased frosting

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13-inch cake pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.     
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, apple pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars and vegetable oil. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined.
4. Switching to a spatula, alternate adding the flour mixture with the apple butter: add a third of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the apple butter, making sure to mix until combined after each addition. Repeat, ending with the final addition of the dry ingredients.
5. Fold in the grated apple. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
6. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping with frosting of choice.

Chunky Applesauce

8 cups chopped apples (about 3 ½ lbs.)

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a Dutch oven, combine apples, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Cover and cook over medium heat until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, approximately 35-40 minutes.  Remove from the heat, stir in vanilla.  Mash apples slightly, if desired.  Serve warm or cold.

Cider Sangria

2 ½ cups apple cider

¾ cup brandy

½ cup fresh orange juice

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1” fresh ginger, peeled and very thinly sliced

2 tsp. orange bitters

4 clementines, thinly sliced

2 apples, very thinly sliced

750-ml bottled prosecco or other dry sparkling wine

In a large pitcher, stir together cider, brandy, orange juice, lemon juice, ginger and bitters.  Stir in fruit (mixture can be refrigerated up to 1 day).  When ready to serve, add wine.  Serve over ice.