Yield: 9 servings
Cute, nostalgic, and edible. Unlike the yearly gingerbread house we build and never eat, this perfectly balanced sweet and tart Cosmic Crisp® gingerbread snack cake will be all the family wants to eat during this holiday season.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ¼ cup Cosmic Crisp® apples, peeled & chopped
- ½ cup dark unsulphured molasses,
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 tablespoons of salted butter, softened
- 4 ounces of cream cheese
- 2 - 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Directions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease and line an 8x8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Combine the molasses, sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk to combine.
- Add the all-purpose flour on top of the wet ingredients.
- Pour the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the flour.
- Use a fork to combine the dry ingredients.
- Fold the wet and dry ingredients with a spatula to form a thick cake batter.
- Add the diced Cosmic Crisp and fold into the batter.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Place on the middle rack and bake at 350°F for 36-39 minutes.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting and slicing.
Frosting
- Beat the butter and cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth and
lighter in color. - Slowly mix in powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time. Beat for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed until fluffy.
- Mix in the vanilla bean paste once the sugar has been incorporated.
- Hand mix for 1 minute to create fluffy, firm peaks.
- Spread on the cooled snack cake.
- Decorate with apple slices.
- Enjoy!
Recipe created by @TyBerryMuch for Superfresh Growers.