Apple Butter Snack Cake
Sometimes you just need to make a cake.
When the family goes to bed earlier than you and it's just you and the dog, happily snoring in her bed. You're not tired and you are uninspired by TV and you certainly can't scroll Twitter or Instagram or Facebook or any of it right now because-- well you know why. Instead, put on your headphones, listen to some fiddle music or an audiobook that takes you away. Bake a cake that fills your kitchen with the kind of scents those candles can only dream of. Start to finish, one hour. Two bowls. Practically no fail. Warm cinnamon and cardamom, apple butter and sour cream folded right into the bowl. A crunchy sugar top. It's self-care and therapy and a snack all rolled into one and it makes waking up the next morning a little easier.
Apple Butter Snack Cake
Makes one 8x8 cake
Ingredients
1.5 C All purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 C vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C Apple Butter (I used some that I made, but any apple butter will do)
1/3 C Sour Cream or plain yogurt
Turbinado sugar, for topping
Method
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350F. Spray an 8x8 cake pan with nonstick spray, line bottom with parchment, and spray again. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom and salt. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl, combine vegetable oil, both sugars, and eggs. Stir to combine. Add vanilla and mix well.
Add dry ingredients to wet and mix to combine. Add yogurt and apple butter and continue mixing until fully combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with a good amount of turbinado sugar across the top of the cake. Bake for 35-40 min or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and remove and allow to cool on wire rack. Go to bed. Wake up happy.