I told myself that I wouldn't do this.  You know... the whole baking thing.  We've just had Hallowe'en.  We need more sweets like we need a hole in the head, right.?  But then I had this apple sauce left over from the muffins that I made last week... remember?  Nobody seemed to be eating the stuff and I guess that I could have frozen it... whatever.  I made cake.
Speaking of Hallowe'en... the kids had fun this year.  I'm really glad that they did.  I don't like Hallowe'en.   'Why' you ask?  'It's such fun to dress up and the kids enjoy it so much...' you might add.  It's not for religious reasons or anything.  It doesn't scare me or upset me.  I just think that any occasion that demands that I walk outside at night at the end of October (HELLo - it was FREEZING in T.O.) should bring a little bit better pay-off.  Let's see I could be at home but I have to be out toting my kids from house to house so that they can collect candy and show off their awesome costumes (seriously awesome Peeps) and what I get for it is... freezing hands, sore shoulders (from shrugging in the cold) and  a mini snickers bar.  Not good enough!!!  Just sayin'  If I lived in, oh I don't know, California, the West Indies, South of France... then it might be just fine.


So, here is the cake that I told myself I wouldn't make this week.  I wouldn't be surprised if I were you to see more crap show up before the week is out - I could surprise myself though.  My neighbours are going to start really liking living next door to me.  We can't eat the stuff.  Thank goodness I have friends like KT out there to help me out too.
The cake is lush and cream cheese icing makes an appearance again too.  I thought that it would be fun to jazz it up this time with a little cinnamon.  I also felt a little lame for using the same icing again so I guilted myself into changing it up just a little bit (that's really dumb, I know).  Basically, there is no way that you can screw this thing up and because it's all fruity you might even feel like it's not that bad for you... hell of a lot better than mini snickers bars (who eats mini's anyway!)

I thought that this looked a bit like Pacman

Apple Sauce Cake (scarfed from Gourmet via Smitten Kitchen)
makes a 9 inch square cake

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp (dash really) ground cloves
1 stick  - 1/4 cup - 4 oz unsalted butter at room temp.
1 cup brown sugar (you can use light brown)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped (optional)

Icing

4 oz cream cheese at room temperature
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened but not melted
2 - 2 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour and 9 inch square baking tin.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves (Jeez, that was a mouthful) in a bowl together and set aside.


In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add in the eggs and continue to beat until lighter and fluffier (!).  Add in the vanilla and the applesauce and mix well.  Add the flour mixture to the egg/butter mixture and mix until thoroughly incorporated.


Add the toasted walnuts if you are adding.
Pour the batter (which is on the thick and goupy side - just so you know) into the prepared cake tin and bake for 35 - 40 min.  Until a tester comes out clean.  Cool for a bit in the pan and then transfer to a rack to cool.  Ice the cake once it's completely cooled.

Icing:
Beat together the cream cheese and butter until the mixture is creamy.  Add in the sifted icing sugar and combine until all is well blended.  Add in the cinnamon and mix until blended.