The Monday Treat – Spiced Pumpkin Apple Cake with Maple Frosting

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Great excitement; the paper turkeys can once more grace the window sill. That’s not a metaphor for something. I mean actual paper turkeys. And also paper pumpkins and garland. Gotta love a theme.

I remember our first Thanksgiving. Chicago. Snow. Fantastic parade featuring Pilgrims wearing Ugg boots.

And though it’s not snowing here in NY, it’s the kind of weather where a cup of tea and a slice of cake is most appreciated. This spiced pumpkin apple cake has all the flavors of fall, and, if you ever so slightly under cook it, it takes on a texture somewhere between cake and pie, damp and soft. For a cakier cake, add a tbsp more flour and cook for the full hour. Once baked and cooled we’re on to the really good part; a beautiful buff maple glaze, or a full on cream cheese maple frosting.

Either way, it’s a perfect Monday treat.

Spiced Pumpkin Apple Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350f
• Grate the apple and squeeze out the juice in your hands. Put into a mixing bowl with the pumpkin, flour, sugar, baking powder and spices
• In a separate bowl or jug mix the eggs, yogurt and oil until smooth then add to the dry mix and stir to combine
• Scrape into a greased cake tin (I use a loaf tin about 9 by 6 inches) and bake for 50 – 60 mins (you want to top to be slightly browned)
• Cool for 30 mins in the pan before turning out
• Leave for another 30 mins to cool before frosting

Maple Glaze

This sweet, almost smoky glaze is an elegant and simple finishing touch

• Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, and mix in the maple syrup until you have a thin spreading consistency
• Drizzle over the cake and leave to set for an hour

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

So this is full on frosting greatness. It really is totally delicious – the kind of frosting you might want to eat with a teaspoon out of a shot glass if you have a sweet tooth. It’s delicious on coffee cakes too – for a full size cake (frosting and filling, double this recipe)

• Make sure the butter and cheese are at room temperature, then cream them together in the mixer until soft and smooth (or by hand, but it’s going to take 5 mins of mixing)
• Add the vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup and stir to combine
• Sift in the icing sugar and mix until incorporated into a thick spreadable paste – if it’s too hard, add a few drops of milk
• Spread over the cake

If You Can Make That You Can Make This

• Decorate the top of the cake with walnuts or pecans
• Add a handful of walnuts to the batter
• Or pecans
• Or dried cranberries
• Use the icing to top a coffee cake
• Or try this spiced apple loaf cake
• Or be adventurous and try one of these cakes