Butter Rum-Glazed Applesauce Cake

Yes, I’m talking about my Rudy Rut-ton!! 🙂 Oh, I’m sure that Grumpy loves me too, but sometimes I think my cake does have something to do with it! he he. I look kinda dorky in that pic, but I really wanted you to see how Rudy just can’t be without his momma! I was working at the table last night when he decided that he had to be in my lap – and apparently that wasn’t comfortable for him because he decided to climb up my left arm and around my neck and landed where you see him above….and promptly fell alseep. He sticks to me like glue when I am home and if I am not sitting down, he’s following me around the house. When I’m cooking, he stretches his little paws up my leg like he wants to come up to me and watch. He’s so goofy. I love him too. On to my cake…

I wouldn’t eat spice cake of any kind when I was a little girl. I wanted my chocolate mayonnaise cake and that was that. I didn’t want anything BUT chocolate mayonnaise. When my Nanny would ask me what kind of cake I would like her to make me for my birthday, it was always chocolate mayonnaise, please. I’m go glad that as an adult that my horizons have been broadened and I will eat try other types of cake not just chocolate mayonnaise cake!

One thing I finally tried a few years ago was browned butter. The first time I ever had it I used Cooking Light’s Roasted Asparagus with Browned Butter Sauce. I fell in love. Since then, when I see something that calls for browned butter, I know it has to be delicious. Therefore, I just knew this cake was going to be awesome. Not only did I love the flavor, but it was super moist!

I’m going to test one of my readers here. I warned our package delivery man that I might mention him in my blog. He told me today he checks it out to see what I made (and I think so he can crab at me that he didn’t get any!). I said to him, “so you read about my boring life to eh?” His response? “Oh, I didn’t know I was supposed to read, I just look at the pictures!” ha ha. Well, because Scott comes in and gripes about not getting any of the food I bring into the office, I am taking in a piece especially for him tomorrow. Then he can quit his griping! Hope you enjoy it Scott!

Butter Rum-Glazed Applesauce Cake
Betty Crocker’s Fall Baking Magazine Volume 16, Number 7

Cake:
1/3 cup butter **
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup applesauce (I used my homemade applesauce!)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Glaze:
2 Tablespoons butter **
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon rum flavor
3-4 teaspoons half and half or milk

**it is important to use butter in this recipe as it is the browned butter that gives this cake the wonderful flavor! Please don’t substitute margarine…..it won’t be the same!

Heat oven to 350. Spray 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.

In 1-1/2 quart saucepan, melt 1/3 cup butter over medium heat. Cook 2 to 2-1/2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until butter just begins to brown. Immediately remove from heat. Stir in granulated sugar, applesauce and vanilla.

In large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in applesauce mixture. Pour into pan.

Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

For the glaze: In 1-1/2 quart saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; cook about 3 minutes or until butter just begins to brown. Immediately removed from heat. Stir in remaining glaze ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Pour over warm cake. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm.

This makes 9 servings. 300 calories per serving, 10 fat grams, 25 mg cholesterol, 340 mg sodium, 51 carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, and 2 grams protien.