In the entire circle of the year, there are no days so delightful as those of a fine October.
~ Alexander Smith ~
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A very good morning to you, my dear reader friends! Oh, how glad I am that October is here...the month of autumnal celebrations, spooky fun, and lots of delicious seasonal treats homemade in the comforts of a cozy kitchen.
When I think of autumnal dessert flavors, I think of pumpkin, apple, maple, pecans, walnuts, carrots, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, allspice, cardamom, and honey. There is an incredible amount of baked goods you can make and every year, we have several that are tradition. Every year, we make them, without fail. And then there's always a bit of wiggle room...for a new favorite to perhaps make the list of yearly traditions. Pumpkin bread, banana nut bread, apple butter, and muffins of different flavors are some of the goodies you'll find us making each autumn.
My mom's birthday is on the first of October, and she nearly always chooses an autumnal cake for her special day. (Sometimes, she goes for something chocolatey.) In the past, we've made her spiced carrot cake and an especially scrummy spiced chocolate apple cake with a heavenly peanut butter frosting. That cake was hands-down, seriously yummy. This year, she mentioned that she wanted to try something new...and something apple flavored. I knew just the recipe to use!
In the spring, I came across this recipe and tucked it away for cooler days that just call for some seasonal spice. Whilst this cake was baking, our entire house literally had the most magical scent. It's the sort of scent you wish you could just bottle up and savour. The blend of cinnamon and ginger is perfect! And the applesauce makes for a very soft and fluffy cake...we aren't fans of dense, heavy cakes, and this was the exact opposite of that. Practically cloud-like! I've also been obsessed with single layer round cakes lately. I made one for my sister's birthday and I don't know why really, but I just loved how it looked. A simple one-layer round cake, frosting only on the top, and nuts or sprinkles over the frosting. It just makes me happy how pretty they are. ♥
And, then the frosting...I really still can't stop thinking about how delicious this frosting was. We don't like super sweet frostings that call for cups of powdered sugar and after just one taste, I thought that I could easily eat this one by the spoonful. It was that good! And I'm quite picky about frostings! The recipe originally called for honey, but I used maple syrup instead. And I don't regret it one bit! I added broken up walnuts on top, because it just called for that, if you ask me. {{smiles}}
Oh, and I highly recommend listening to some enchanting instrumental music whilst mixing and stirring and frosting and sprinkling...in my kitchen that delightful, quiet October evening, it was the soundtrack from Harry Potter. Adding music or candles or dim lighting, or all three really makes for the most magical baking experience. Perfectly cozy and enchanting and just all the more fun.
Autumn approaches and the heart begins to dream...
~ Basho ~
Upon taking just one bite of this most autumnal cake, we all three declared it absolutely scrumptious. It wasn't too sweet...the cake nor the frosting, and just the perfect combination of spices. And the frosting...no words for how addictive it is! {{winks}} The deep amber color when you cut into the cake and crunchiness of the nuts were the cherry on top. A new favorite and one that will definitely be making a return to our table this season...and in the years ahead.
I truly cannot think of a better cake for teatime or a simple evening dessert, or just because. My dear fellow home-bakers, if you'd like to bake one of these for your family, you can find the recipe here.
I hope you all are enjoying lovely October days, soaking up every bit of beauty that these early autumn days hold. May you notice all the magic around you and make magic everywhere you go. And perhaps, make an autumnal potion of sugar and spice in your kitchen by baking a seasonal cake and enjoying it with a nice cup of hot tea. (My newest favorite flavor is strawberry hibiscus. The scent, the color, the flavor, it's the best.)
Until next time...
♥
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