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Easy Apple Spice Cake with White Chocolate Browned Butter Buttercream

Cakes and cupcakes, Dessert, ,

A super-easy apple spice cake made from a mix, with a perfectly fluffy white chocolate browned butter buttercream that has only two ingredients. It’s the cake that this early fall season is begging for!

I hadn’t really planned on sharing this recipe, but I decided it was too delicious not to. It all came about mostly by accident. I was shopping at Wal-Mart this week, and found the sprinkles I ended up using on this cake. I love fall, and I love sprinkles, and I didn’t have these…so I couldn’t help myself and bought them. Look at how perfectly fall-inspired they are! But then I needed to make something to use them on. When I got home, I started thinking about what I could bake that needed these sprinkles. I remembered I had a spice cake mix in the pantry, so I pulled that out and started mixing it up. But to add just a little more fall flavor, I decided to use unsweetened applesauce in place of the oil. It adds just the slightest hint of apple that works so well with the spice cake.

I know, that’s not much of a recipe yet. But then I needed to make a frosting for it. I was going to just make my standard browned butter buttercream, but I checked my baking supplies and realized I was pretty low on powdered sugar. I wasn’t sure I would have enough for a full batch of buttercream. So I thought I would make Swiss meringue buttercream with browned butter. And I checked my eggs. Not enough of those either. (I’ve been out of town for work and haven’t been baking much.) At this point I was getting desperate, because I really didn’t want to go back to the store. And my cake was already in the oven. That’s when I remembered a two-ingredient chocolate frosting I had tried previously, and wondered if it could be made with white chocolate. I went back to the original blogger, and sure enough, it can be made with white chocolate chips! At this point I was fairly certain I could also use browned butter, so I just went for it. It was the right decision. This frosting is not too sweet, and the combination of white chocolate and nutty browned butter pair perfectly with the spice cake.

Anyone can make this frosting. Seriously, anyone. And it’s so impressive, even if you’re not a baker people will be raving over this dessert. All you do is brown butter and add white chocolate chips. To brown the butter, put it in a light-colored (not non-stick) pan and melt it over medium-low heat. It will start to bubble – that’s what you want. Let it continue to cook until you start to see brown spots at the bottom. That’s the milk solids starting to brown, which is what gives it a nutty flavor. Once the melted butter is golden and the bits are a medium brown, take it off the heat and cool it slightly. Once it is warm, but not hot, add the white chocolate chips and let them melt. Chill it until solid, bring to room temperature, and whip it up. That’s it. Delicious, sophisticated frosting with almost no effort.

I baked this in three 6-inch pans, but you can bake it in any pans you would like. Use two 8- or 9-inch, or even a 9×13-inch pan for an even easier dessert. Want to mix it up and make it your own? Add some chopped, toasted pecans on top or in the middle frosting layers. Use apple cider instead of water in the cake for an even more prominent apple flavor. Add a drizzle of caramel or melted cookie butter on top (definitely going that route next time myself!). Which ever way you make it, just make sure to give this frosting a try. It couldn’t be easier, and it will definitely impress your friends and family!

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 Easy Apple Spice Cake with White Chocolate Browned Butter Buttercream
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Frosting
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Frosting
Instructions
Cake
  1. Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Mix on low speed just until combined. Increase speed to high and mix for 2 minutes.
  2. Divide batter evenly between two greased 8- or 9-inch pans, or three greased 6-inch pans.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-28 minutes, depending on size of pans.
  4. Cool on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.
Frosting
  1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue cooking until butter boils and begins to brown. Once solids have lightly browned and liquid is golden in color, remove from heat and transfer to a heat-proof bowl.
  2. Let cool slightly before adding white chocolate chips. Butter should be warm enough to melt the chocolate, but not so hot it will burn. If butter has cooled to far, microwave in 30 second bursts until chocolate is melted.
  3. Cool mixture in the refrigerator until solidified. Remove from refrigerator and bring back to cool room temperature.
  4. Place in large mixing bowl and beat at medium speed with whisk attachment until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  5. Fill and frost cake.
Recipe Notes
  • Use apple cider instead of water in the cake mix for even more apple flavor.
  • Add chopped, toasted pecans on top or in the middle frosting layers.
  • Drizzle the top with caramel or melted cookie butter.
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No-Peel, No-Boil Mashed Potatoes

Dinner, ,

Are you getting ready to cook a large holiday meal for friends or family? Is stove-top space always at a premium, but you absolutely have to keep mashed potatoes on the menu? I’ve got the solution! And not only does it save you time and stove-top space, you also end up with super creamy, super fluffy mashed potatoes!

So what’s the secret? Well, there are two. First, you bake the potatoes. Yep, bake them. More on that in a minute. But the real secret is to use a potato ricer. If you don’t have one of these yet, and you like creamy, fluffy, “whipped” potatoes, you absolutely need one. They aren’t expensive and can be found in almost any grocery or department store. It’s the only way I make mashed potatoes.

So back to the potatoes. Make sure you wash them, and poke some holes in each one with either a fork or sharp knife. Since you won’t be eating the skins, you don’t need to oil or season them like you might for a baked potatoes. When I’m just making a small amount for two of us on a regular weeknight, I microwave them for around 3-4 minutes a piece, depending on size. If you are doing a smaller amount, this method works just fine.

If you’re making a large batch for a big family meal, just put them in the oven with your turkey, ham, or roast. Place them directly on a rack in the oven, preferably at 350 degrees (which is what most of those meats roast at), and bake them for an hour to an hour and half. Timing will depend on the size and number of potatoes. Whichever cooking method you use, you just want them to cook until they are easily pierced by a fork.

Once they are cooked, all you have to do is slice them in half, and press them through the ricer into a mixing bowl. Place them cut side down in the ricer and press. Depending on the size of the potato, you may get one or two halves in at a time. The potato flesh will pass right through, while the skin is left in the ricer. Pull out the empty skin, and press another potato. Repeat until you’ve got a big bowl of riced potatoes. Now add butter, milk and seasonings, and stir until creamy and fluffy. I prefer to heat the milk and butter together, and add it in batches until I reach the consistency I’m looking for. If you have extra, don’t discard it right away, as potatoes often thicken up as they sit and you may want to splash in a little more before serving.

This is really more of a method than a recipe. Although I’ve provided a very basic recipe below, you can add whatever ingredients you typically put in your mashed potatoes. Cream cheese, buttermilk, garlic – they all work perfectly with this method. Follow your favorite recipe, or try a new one!

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 No-Peel, No-Boil Mashed Potatoes
Super creamy and fluffy mashed potatoes without the time and hassle of peeling, chopping, and boiling.
Servings
Ingredients
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Wash the potatoes and poke several times with a fork or sharp knife.
  2. For smaller amounts, cook in the microwave for 3 to 4 minutes per potato.
  3. For large batches, place on oven rack and bake at 350 degrees for about one to one and a half hours. Can be baked with turkey, ham, or roast also in oven.
  4. Once potatoes are fork-tender, remove from oven or microwave. Slice each potato in half.
  5. Place halves cut-side down in a single layer in a potato ricer and press into a large mixing bowl. Remove skin that is left in ricer and repeat with remaining potatoes.
  6. Once potatoes are all riced, add warmed milk and butter gradually, with seasonings. Stir gently to combine, adding enough liquid to reach desired consistency. If potatoes need to sit before serving, they may cool and thicken. Add additional warm milk and butter just before serving if needed.
Recipe Notes
  • Quantities are approximate and adjustable. Halve, double, or triple to make the quantity you need. And adjust milk and butter quantity to get the texture you prefer.
  • Use this method with the ingredients you prefer in your potatoes. Cream cheese, buttermilk, garlic - any of those variations, and more, will work!
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