If you love spice cakes like I do, this will be one of your favorites. I used some homemade Apple Butter that was given to me as a gift, but you could use applesauce if you don't have apple butter available. This cake has assertive flavors of cinnamon and clove while not being too sweet. It makes a nice brunch item, or serve it with afternoon tea.
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Butter, room temperature
1 Cup Apple Butter or Apple Sauce
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
3 Eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a standard bundt pan.
(I use the "reverse creaming" method for this, which means I mix the butter into the dry ingredients):
Put all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices) together in the bowl of an electric mixer. On low, mix until dry ingredients are blended. Add the butter and half of the apple butter. On the lowest speed, mix just until the flour is moistened. Turn the mixer up to medium-low speed (#3 if using a KitchenAid mixer) and beat for 1 minute to aerate the batter. Add the remaining apple butter, stirring it in just until combined.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly with the buttermilk. Add the egg mixture into the batter gradually, beating just for about ten seconds after each addition. Scrape down the bowl and give it one last stir by hand.
Pour into the bundt pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until you can insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.
Cool a bit before unmolding, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
