Apple Spice Cake

This is one of my favorite fall recipes to make. Based on this recipe from Cooking Light, I have made numerous changes, as I found the original recipe lacking. This time I subbed light Laughing Cow cheese for the cream cheese, since I didn't have any on-hand.


Apple Spice Cake

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup (3 oz) low-fat cream cheese
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
~2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup low-fat buttermilk (I subbed with 1 cup skim milk w/ 1 tsp lemon juice)
1 chopped and peeled apple
2 tbsp brandy
2 tsp powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350.

Place the first four ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flour thru cloves in a large bowl and combine. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat well after each addition. Stir in apple and brandy. Pour mixture into a greased 8" square baking pan.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Cranberry Ginger Cake

I found this recipe originally and decided to modify it. A lot. It wasn't upside down, it was dairy free. I was a bit worried about the texture before folding in the egg whites but it turned out fabulous.

Cranberry-Ginger Cake

Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
3 cups fresh cranberries, finely chopped
fat-free whipped topping

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat 9" cake pan with cooking spray.

Heat a skillet over medium heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Add brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter to pan, stirring until melted. Stir in ginger; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add in chopped cranberries, stirring to coat. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine 1/4 cup butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer at medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter. Fold cranberries into batter; pour into a prepared cake pan. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Top each serving with whipped topping.