Applesauce Cake With Cream Cheese and Honey Frosting

Step 1

Make the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with baking spray and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt and baking soda. Add the eggs, sugar, buttermilk, applesauce and oil and whisk gently just until everything is combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the batter into the prepared pan and then smooth the surface so it is even.

Step 3

Bake the cake until it is just barely firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Set the cake aside on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

Step 4

Use a dinner knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the pan sides and then invert it onto a work surface. Peel off and discard the parchment. Invert the cake one more time onto a serving platter.

Step 5

Make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, honey and salt and whisk together aggressively until the cream cheese is slightly aerated (you can also do this with a handheld electric mixer or in a stand mixer).

Step 6

Spread the frosting over the top of the cake and don’t worry too much about making this perfect. A not-too-perfect cake is so much better than a perfect cake. Cut into wedges and serve. Leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.