Apple Butter Spice Cake with Cinnamon Browned Buttercream

Turkey time is inching closer, and we’re ready for the goods! A juicy, savory bird, creamy potatoes, and the sweet-tart combo of cranberry sauce. Are you ready for the dessert course? We’ve got you covered with the classic holiday favorites, apple pie and pumpkin, but what if pie’s not your thing? Our Apple Butter Spice cake is a fantastic holiday alternative to pie; spicy and sweet in the way a fall dessert should be, with notes of clove and ginger, and a nutty sweetness in the frosting. The apple butter mix-in keeps your cake moist while simultaneously conjuring all the best fall feels. This cake is the perfect take-along to your office potluck or a family feast, and much easier to balance in your lap during the long car ride over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house. Stir in some Luster Dust when you whip together the frosting or sprinkle on a bit of Tinker Dust at the end. The perfect holiday touch! Isn’t it great that a bit of edible glitter can elevate any dessert or dish that way? It doesn’t just taste good; it looks amazing too!

Since we’re already drooling, let’s talk about browned buttercream. Have you ever tried browning your butter before whipping together a classic buttercream? Browned butter is everything! The stars align when you whip together browned butter and confectioners’ sugar, and the best part is it serves as the perfect backdrop to our gold Tinker Dust, our favorite color for fall. We used a cookie cutter and a little orange Tinker Dust to make a turkey shape on top, but the Tinker Dust can easily stand alone on this scrumptious cake!

Apple Butter Spice Cake with Cinnamon Browned Buttercream

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1 stick of unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla 

2 eggs

1 ½ cups apple butter

For the frosting: 

1 stick butter

¼ teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups confectioners sugar

A pinch of salt

To make:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x10 cake pan. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, and vanilla, and beat until fluffy. Add eggs and apple butter, beating well. Add all dry ingredients and beat until just combined and ingredients are well incorporated. Pour batter into pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting: 

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat and continue to cook at a low simmer. Stir often until butter starts to brown and your kitchen is filled with a nutty sweetness. Remove from heat when butter is a golden brown. Pour into bowl and allow to cool for several minutes. 

Once butter is cooled, add remaining ingredients. If using Luster Dust, add at this step. Beat all ingredients until buttercream is light & fluffy. Add more water if needing to thin, more sugar if needing to thicken. Frost cake and decorate using Tinker Dusts!