Apple Butter Spice Cake

If you happen to find yourself with leftover apple butter, here's a great way to use it up.  This cake is very moist and sweet with a praline-like layer inside, and it includes healthy wheat germ.  I baked mine in my favorite bundt pan, but it can also be baked in a 9x13 cake pan (directions below).

Apple Butter Spice Cake

Makes 1 bundt cake (or one 9x13 cake)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 3/4 cup apple butter

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup wheat germ or whole bran cereal

• 1 cup sour cream

Crumb Mixture (double for a 9x13 cake):

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated whole nutmeg (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)

• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

• pinch fine salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Prepare cake pan by spraying with Baker's Joy non-stick baking spray.

3. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the crumb mixture together; set aside.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and white sugar together for a couple of minutes.

6. Add eggs and beat well.

7. Add apple butter, vanilla, and wheat germ; beat well.

8. Add 1/3 of the reserved flour mixture, mix to incorporate.

9. Add 1/2 of the sour cream, mix.

10. Add 1/3 flour mixture, mix.

11. Add remaining 1/2 of the sour cream, mix.

12. Finish with the last 1/3 of the flour mixture.

13. Pour about 1/2 the batter into the prepared bundt pan.

14. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture on and top with the remaining batter.

15. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

16. Cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack before removing from pan to finish cooling completely.

Notes

• To make a 9x13, double the ingredients for the crumb mixture. Pour half the batter into the pan, add half the crumb mixture, top with the remaining cake batter, and lastly, sprinkle the other half of the crumb mixture on top. Bake for a total of about 40 minutes.

• If using whole nutmeg, grate with a microplane grater.

(affiliate links)

Pumpkin Tart with Spider Web Topping

Before we talk Tart, I'd like to thank Kathia from Pink Little Cake for asking me to participate in her 28 Days of Sweet Halloween Ideas - I'm thrilled to be included among the ranks of some truly amazing and incredibly talented guest bloggers!!  Kathia has a wonderful blog full of amazing cake creations - I highly recommend you check it out!

This Pumpkin Tart is super simple to make - even for beginners.  The original recipe did not include the spider web design on top, but I thought it would be a nice touch for this celebration.  The web design is fun to do, so let your hair down and go for it!

Enjoy!!!

items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• tart pan with removable bottom https://amzn.to/3pkvRff

• 100% pure pumpkin, canned https://amzn.to/2Nvp2cF

• sweetened condensed milk https://amzn.to/2YgiNeW

• Hershey’s chocolate syrup https://amzn.to/2YjWzIV

• gingersnaps cookies https://amzn.to/3odc7c1

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Pumpkin Tart with Spider Web Topping

serves 8-10

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups ginger snap cookie crumbs

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 15 ounces canned 100% pure pumpkin (or equal amount of fresh cooked, pureed pumpkin)

• 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

• 2 egg yolks

Topping:

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar

• chocolate syrup (like Hershey's)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F, and have a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom placed on a sheet pan or cookie sheet.

2. Combine the ginger snap cookie crumbs and melted butter together until the mixture resembles wet sand and press into a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

3. Bake at 350F oven for 10 minutes; cool.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the filling ingredients together and pour into cooled crust, using an offset spatula to spread into an even layer.

5. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes; remove from oven and cool completely.

6. While the tart is cooling, whisk together the sour cream and sugar

To make the filling:  

Combine the filling ingredients together in a medium bowl; whisk to combine completely and pour into cooled crust.  Use an offset spatula to spread the filling into an even layer.  Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool for an hour.  Pour sour cream/sugar mixture on top of pumpkin layer; spread evenly.  Draw several concentric circles of chocolate syrup on top of the sour cream topping, ending with a dot of syrup in the center of the tart.  Make the spider web design by pulling a toothpick from the center dot of chocolate syrup out towards the crust; repeating until the web is complete. Chill until serving.  To serve, remove the sides of the tart pan and place tart on cake plate.  For professional looking slices, clean the knife between each cut.

Notes

• To make your own pumpkin puree, cut a small sugar pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, place cut side down on a sheet pan and roast in a 350F oven for about an hour, or until the flesh is buttery soft.  Cool, scoop out flesh and puree in a food mill or food processor. 

• Make the topping by whisking the sour cream and sugar together; set aside until needed.