Hello friends! Well, we are finally here in Wisconsin and UNPACKING in our new house. I can hardly believe it. All of our boxes were delivered yesterday so it’s going to be a fun few weeks unpacking and settling in.
I am starting to get excited about the house, the move and meeting our neighbors and making new friends . . but I miss Washington and my friends there. Before we left Washington, we literally packed in almost everything we could before we left. We went to 
The plan was to celebrate FALL and bake a delicious apple pie with these babies but I ran out of time and me and the kids just ate these straight up. BUT thanks to my blogging friends, we can celebrate apples today with Nancy’s Apple Spice Cake!
Nancy blogs at 
Howdy readers of Hip Foodie Mom. Are you sick of me yet?
This is my third time blogging for my dear friend Alice and every time she asks me for a guest post, I’m beyond honoured. I love and respect Alice so much as a blogger but even more as a person. I’ve been lucky enough to meet Alice in real life (we were roomies during IFBC last month) and I met up with her very briefly when she was visiting Vancouver a few weeks ago. Sadly for me, Alice is moving away from the Pacific Northwest and will be settling in Wisconsin with her lovely family. So, at the time you’re reading my words, Alice will be deeply immersed in the grueling, hellish experience that is moving. I hope it’s going well, girl!
Ugh. Even the THOUGHT of packing up my entire life and moving it across a country is exhausting. I’ve only had to move once so far in my life, at the age of 28 when I went from my parent’s home to the apartment I share with the Husband. I know, I know, that’s pretty old to be leaving the nest but it’s totally the norm for Asian households, especially for single college kids. It was a dream being able to live at home during university, saving money that I didn’t need to spend on rent, and having a hot meal waiting for me every night (thanks Mom!).
This cake. It’s an apple spice cake filled with layers of maple cream cheese and apple pie filling. It’s the tastiest cake I’ve made in a while but OY. It’s an epic fail aesthetically, which I’ll explain below.
I made it for the Husband’s birthday last month because he lurvs apple desserts. It was delicious but I wasn’t 100% satisfied with how it turned out: there wasn’t enough frosting or apple pie filling. I decided to make it again for my friend’s 2nd annual Cakefest and to present to Alice for her guest post. I wanted to make it bigger and better but good intentions don’t make a good cake. Look what happened when I was transporting my baby to Cakefest:
It looked like an earthquake measuring 9 points on the Richter scale ravaged it.
Couple of problems: this is a very delicate cake and it wasn’t sturdy enough to hold up all the heavy fixin’s. Next time: I need to make my cake earlier and put it in the fridge to make it sturdier. I totally overloaded the cake layers. There’s a TON of cream cheese frosting and apple pie filling in between every thin layer. Finally, I transported it without giving it adequate time in the fridge to firm up. Sigh. Amateur mistakes. When’d I turn into such a rookie?
Regardless of how it looks, it tastes fantastic so I figured it’s still worthy of sending to Alice. If any of you try this at home and the same calamity befalls you, tip it into a trifle bowl and serve it that way. I was literally scooping this cake out to serve at Cakefest. Problems solved! This cake is a delicious labour of love and even though mine looked a hot mess, I still love it.
I know that Alice will appreciate the humour of what befell the poor thing. I’m thinking of you girl! I hope the move went flawlessly and painlessly.
Apple Spice Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 1/2 lb about 4 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces (I used a mix of gala and golden delicious apples)
- Juice from half a lemon
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 cup whole milk at room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temp
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
- 4 large eggs at room temp
For the cream cheese filling:
- 2 blocks of cream cheese room temp
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup powdered sugar
For the apple pie filling:
- 4 apples I used a mix of gala, honeycrisp and golden delicious, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-1 inch pieces
- Juice of half a lemon
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp cloves
- ½ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
For the cake:
- Place your diced apples in a large saucepan with the lemon juice and brown sugar. Cook the apples over medium heat until the apples are soft. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans or three 8-inch round cake pans, then place a round of parchment in the bottom of each and spray the round. I used 9-inch cake pans.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk and vanilla together in a small measuring cup. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, 3/4 cups granulated sugar and the maple syrup on medium speed (stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice) until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for one minute after eat addition.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then with the mixer on low, alternately add the dry ingredients in three additions, and the milk mixture in two, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and beating just until combined. Mix in the cooked and cooled apples.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pans on wire racks for about 20 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto the racks to complete cooling.
For the cream cheese frosting:
- In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter on medium high speed for at least three minutes, until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla and maple syrup. Mix until fully combined.
For the apple pie filling:
- Place the diced apples into a large saucepan over medium heat with the lemon juice. Cook until it begins to soften, then add the sugar and spices. Mix to combine. Cook until the apples are completely softened.
To assemble:
- I cut my two cakes into four layers. Place one layer of the cake on a cake plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting, then top with apple pie filling. Place the next layer of cake over top and keep building until you get to the last layer of cake. Frost the top and sides of the assembled cake with the remaining frosting. Chill the cake for at least 1 hour before serving (I CANNOT stress this enough!). Don’t transport this if you can – the cake is HEAVY. You can garnish the sides with chopped walnuts as I did – it provides a lovely contrast in texture (I love the oily, nutty crunch against the smooth frosting and the spicy apple cake).
Adapted from Baked by Rachel.
NOTES FROM NANCY:
Cream Cheese Frosting: I made a ton of frosting to make sure there was enough for the cake. I doubled the ABOVE recipe but you can make it as written if you make a smaller cake.
Apple Pie Filling: I made a ton of apple pie filling because I love to eat it. I doubled the recipe but you can make it as written for a smaller cake. If you double it and there’s extra, you can eat it with oatmeal, pancakes, or spoon it into your mouth like decadent apple sauce.
So much going on! The cake is awesome Nancy, that last slice proves it! And the fact that you made it twice. Alice, as said above, I hope you’re having it easy with the unpacking, school and all that stuff. At least you’re there, finally! Chicago is waiting for us…
Thank you so much, Paula! Yes, lots to do. . I will be busy for a while 🙂 and YES re: chicago, you name the date and I will be there!!!
This cake looks and sounds luscious! Kudos to Nance!
I hope all is going well with the move! The house looks great and I can’t wait to hear more on your family’s new chapter in the Midwest!
Thanks Amy! I went grocery shopping today and was so happy. . found all my fave stores plus some new ones. . everything is going to be A-OK in that department. Kids start school tomorrow so will focus on them! Hoping that they make friends quickly and love their new schools!
I truly am honoured that you’ve asked me to guest post so many times, Alice. I love doing it. Next time, I promise I’ll send you something glorious and perfect! The Pacific North West misses you so hopefully you’ll be back for a visit soon. In the meantime, I hope you’re all settled in soon and I can’t wait to see what deliciousness will emerge from your new kitchen.
Nancy,
girl. . I LOVE this cake! Thank YOU! I just left a comment on your blog. . I am going to bake this one! I’ll let you know how it turns out! I’m shooting for next week. . still unpacking and trying to put everything away. .
Love both of your blogs and LOVE this cake, Nancy! Just like you’ve said when I’ve had gripes about my own recipes, who cares how it looks, it’s how it tastes that matters (I know, easier said than done when we have food blogs.) But in your case, I think it looks FANTASTIC. I’ve been impatient for this incredible-looking cake ever since I saw it on your Instagram and now that I have the recipe I can’t wait to make it. Thanks for posting, and thanks for sharing your food mishaps 😉 it’s always nice to know that I’m not the only one stabbing cakes in frustration when they don’t turn out. (Wait, maybe that is just me.)
Hi there! Thank you! yes, I agree with you. . Nancy’s cake looks fantastic! and I also love that Nancy keeps it real.
The cake may not have turned out how you wanted, but it looks delicious! I’d happily help you devour it 🙂
Nancy, it looks amazing to me…you are crazy girl….plus, who cares…as long as it tastes insane, which I’m sure it does! I look the photo of that one slice! Seriously, people only truly care in the end about the flavor. If a cake is pretty but tastes like poop, that is not a success, lol.
Alice, I’m excited for you about your move and it sounds like you are too, congrats! I love the photo of all the apples coming out of the bag too 🙂
OMG by cakefest, are you referring to that event I think you mentioned once where you and your friends all bring cake and eat it together!?! SERIOUSLY CAN I COME TO THE NEXT ONE? I’ll bring a Momofuku cake…I’ll bring two…whatever you want!
Okay anyway. Nancy, this is one GORGEOUS cake!! So much love and so many layers. Your cakes always make me swoon and your guest posts for Alice always make me smile–you guys have the BEST virtual (and real, now!) friendship I’ve seen.
Also, Alice, I hope you’re enjoying Wisconsin! I’ve only been once on a trip with my bf during his family’s annual 4th of July trip to Door County but it seems like a great place!! Great for cheese 😉 I can’t wait to hear about your adventures once you get settled. Are you in Madison? On our way out of town, we got breakfast at this one cafe called Crema Cafe I think and I had some of the best cherry pancakes I’ve ever had–they were in an almost sourdough-like batter. Very unusual. Super delicious. And Erik had a gorgeous egg sandwich. Highly recommend if you’re close by! 🙂
Hey Erika, yup, same cakefest. It’s turning into an annual event much to the happiness of my taste buds. The other ladies who bring cakes also sell their stuff on the side of their day jobs so imagine the pressure I was feeling to bring a perfect looking cake. I was devastating when it started falling apart in the car but ferreals, taste trumps looks in my book. Book your plane ticket for next year – I’d LOVE to have you at cakefest!
Heck, give me a spoon and I’ll eat it out of a mug if I have to! I hope everything is going well with the move…can’t wait to hear about the new digs.
Hi Alice, I wish your unpacking duties are executed smoothly.
Hi Nancy, if you’re not pleased with the aesthetics, call it a crumble instead of a cake! Besides, taste is most important and it looks delicious!
As I already told Nancy, I would totally eat this cake. I’m a cake-girl so it’s hard for me to turn down a piece. And isn’t that a coincidence that both of you have moved to new homes. Aw! The experiences you guys must share. That’s so cute! And Alice I LOVE your blog. I believe this is my first visit (thanks Nancy). 🙂
Hi Connie!
I would absolutely eat this cake and am going to request that Nancy send me samples from now on! 🙂 Thank you for the very sweet comment and visit! 🙂 Cheers!
So gorgeous, Nancy. This is one incredible cake. Apple desserts are my all-time favorite. I would take this in layers or as a trifle or cupcakes…anyway you’d make it for me. My tummy would be thrilled. You’re such an awesome friend to help out Alice. Happy that your move went smoothly, Alice. hugs to you both!
Thank you, Lora!
Hmm it looks like your website ate my first comment (it was
super long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I
wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog.
I as wedll am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new tto everything.
Do you havee any tipss for beginner blog writers? I’d really appreciate it.