Apple Cake with Allspice Cream Cheese Frosting

The CSN giveaway is now officially closed. I will be picking a winner and contacting that lucky person tomorrow. What fun! I really wish you could all win. Your favorite CSN picks & cheeses were great fun to read about. Thank you all for entering!

To hold you over during the anticipation, try making this next time your craving a nostalgic dessert. The smells alone will send you to cloud nine. It's especially good in the fall, but Mr. Schalk requested it when we had dinner with our lovely neighbors a couple weeks back. He says it's one of the best desserts I make. Well, thanks Mr. S! He can actually thank my sister for the recipe. So, thanks Liz! Little did he know this is one of the easiest recipes to throw together.

I have had an overwhelmingly positive response each time I've made this cake. I'm not sure if it's the cozy apple cake warmness or the surprise frosting...with allspice! I was skeptical the first time around, but it is seeeeeriously tasty. The allspice frosting is so good I even put it on zucchini muffins.

Close up up the allspice cream cheese goodness!

The original recipe makes a 9x13 size cake, which is a lot of cake for 2-4 people. I use a half recipe for the cake and a full recipe of frosting. I like to use a lot of frosting and have a bit left over. You could half the frosting, if you're so inclined. I'm more inclined to eat the extra straight from the bowl. Did I just say that out loud?

Apple Cake with Allspice Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake

• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoons water
• 1 cups flour
• 1 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or a mixture of walnuts & pecans)
• 2 cups peeled and finely chopped apples (I used 2-3 Braeburn apples, chopped to a small dice)

Frosting

• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Beat eggs until foamy. Add sugar, soda (dissolved in water), flour, cinnamon, and salt. (Batter will be quite thick.) Add nuts and apples.
2. Bake in 350 degree F oven in greased 8x8 or similar size* pan for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. Cool. (*I used a CorningWare baking dish that was oval and slightly larger than 8x8. You can use any size pan you want as long as the batter doesn't overflow. The cake will not rise too much, so it just depends on how thick you want your cake.)
3. To make icing, in a medium bowl, blend the cream cheese, butter, and allspice. Gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and milk until the mixture is spreadable. Spread on cake.

There you have it friends! An apple cake all your own. The frosting will really surprise people and have them begging for seconds!

I'll be back this weekend to announce the CSN Giveaway winner!

xoxo, Rachel