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Garlic & Zest

Gourmet Cooking at Home!

Harvest Cake

Harvest Cake
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This harvest cake is like a flash mob of autumn flavors – it comes from nowhere and demands your immediate attention!  Dominated by cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, with loads of shredded apple, copious amounts of crunchy walnuts, some golden raisins and maybe a little rum (sly grin).  I can’t say it’s a light, delicate confection, because it isn’t.

 

dry ingredients rum, milk, applesauce

In fact, I’d liken it more to a fruit cake than cake-cake, though it’s definitely not that dense. (And I’d recommend eating it within a few days rather than holding on to it for several months.)

 

shredded apple

This cake has heft and spice — and is ridiculously moist considering that there’s no fat added.  No oil or butter, just buttermilk, applesauce and a few eggs. 

 

mixing ingredients with a whisk adding fruit and nuts

This is one of those treats that transitions easily from morning to night.  It goes equally well with a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast as it does with the last few sips of wine after dinner.


Harvest Cake on a wire rack

And because it’s so moist and flavorful, I think that frosting would be redundant.  

 

Harvest Cake with dish towelHarvest Cake with powdered sugar

A sprinkle of powdered sugar is all you need, but if you really want to dress it up, I’d recommend a dollop of freshly whipped heavy cream or a drizzle of creme anglaise. Also try this apple walnut cake that easily transitions from morning coffee cake to evening dessert


Harvest Cake with cinnamon sticksHarvest Cake on a plate

Harvest Cake
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4.41 from 5 votes

Harvest Cake

Dense and moist, this cake is filled with fruit! Dollop with a spoon of whipped cream or simply sprinkle with powdered sugar!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apples, christmas, raisins, thanksgiving, walnuts
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 346kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons dark rum
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup walnuts chopped
  • 1 apple peeled, cored, shredded
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • powdered sugar optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan. Spray pan liberally (bottom and sides) with vegetable spray. Place the parchment in the bottom of the pan and spray the parchment with vegetable spray. Set aside.
  • In a 2 cup glass measuring cup add the buttermilk, applesauce, egg, rum and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and salt. Whisk until well combined then stir in the liquid ingredients, shredded apple, walnuts and raisins. Stir several times to assure that dry ingredients are blended into the wet and that the solids are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  • Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
  • Cool on a wire rack to room temperature and dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 332mg | Potassium: 287mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 1.9mg

Autumn Desserts:

Apple Frangipane Tart | Garlic + Zest
Apple Frangipane Tart
Apple Cranberry Walnut Tart | Garlic + Zest
Apple Cranberry Walnut Tart
Pear and Cranberry Upside Down Cake | Garlic + Zest
Pear and Cranberry Upside Down Cake

 

Don’t Forget To “Pin It” For Later!

Looking for an easy fall apple dessert recipe? This spiced Harvest Cake is moist and loaded with fruit and nuts. #applecake #raisincake #fruitcake #thanksgiving #fallcake #christmas #christmascake

 

 

Harvest Apple Cake
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Cakes// Desserts// Vegan/Vegetarian15 Comments

« Orange-Dijon Haricots Verts with Crispy Shallots
Cranberry Nut Pumpkin Loaves »

Comments

  1. Kathie Johnson says

    October 24, 2017 at 10:57 AM

    What quantity of raisins? Can’t wait to bake this!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      October 24, 2017 at 11:55 AM

      Nice catch, Kathie! 1/2 cup of golden raisins.

      Reply
  2. Chris says

    December 11, 2016 at 9:24 PM

    I served this at a dinner party for relatives visiting from Martinique. I wanted something typical of American fall flavors (plus I had some beautiful apples I wanted to use up). It was a huge hit! Dense, super moist, and slices beautifully. This cake will definitely be a permanent part of my dessert repertoire! Thank you Lisa!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      December 12, 2016 at 11:21 AM

      I’m so happy everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your experience!

      Reply
  3. Jen | Baked by an Introvert says

    September 29, 2016 at 12:13 PM

    I’m loving all the warm spices in this cake!

    Reply
  4. Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon says

    September 29, 2016 at 10:56 AM

    Light and delicate cakes have their place, but sometimes all you want is a dense and intense piece of cake. And I think this apple harvest cake would fit the bill! I could definitely see having this for breakfast or as an afternoon snack.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      September 29, 2016 at 12:39 PM

      I’m with you Annemarie!

      Reply
  5. Janette@CulinaryGinger says

    September 29, 2016 at 10:53 AM

    This is a cake I can enjoy anytime, especially on a chilly afternoon with a nice hot cup of tea.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      September 29, 2016 at 12:38 PM

      I’m so glad you like it, Janette!

      Reply
  6. Platter Talk says

    September 29, 2016 at 10:25 AM

    What a beautiful and tasty looking spice cake. Perfect for the season.

    Reply
  7. Jo says

    January 30, 2016 at 8:56 PM

    Hi Lisa
    Could I use wholemeal flour instead of white flour?
    Is the cake sweet ? Could I omit white granulated sugar?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Jo says

      January 30, 2016 at 11:52 PM

      Sorry made a mistake with sugar. Iknow it only has brown sugar.oops!

      Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 31, 2016 at 2:11 PM

      Hi Jo! I would think you could use whole wheat flour instead of white, but it may make it a little more dense and this is already a hefty cake. If you do it, let me know how it turns out.

      Reply
  8. Katrina says

    November 20, 2015 at 7:57 AM

    I love a good spice cake and this one sounds delicious!
    It is officially on the must try list!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      November 20, 2015 at 9:36 AM

      Glad you like, Katrina!

      Reply

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Meet Lisa

Lisa

Calling all cooks! You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to get a delicious, healthy meal on the table! At Garlic & Zest, I’ll show you how to make hundreds of seasonal, fresh recipes and indulgent comfort foods with easy step-by-step instructions and photos to help you master the dish.

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