As we head into the holiday season, my upcoming recipes will undoubtedly be more festive (and there will probably be a lot of peppermint and eggnog involved-) but before we start down that road- I had another Fall-inspired dessert I was excited to share this week that combines cinnamon and apple cider in a delightfully unexpected and decadent way.
November is a month filled with birthdays- friends, family members, co-workers- and what better way to commemorate a celebratory occasion than by making these quick and easy sheet cakes (which I divided up into smaller squares to deliver in a safe, socially distanced way!)
And if you’re looking for a little kick with the cake- try serving it with a few glasses of warmed hard cider, too!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
18 SERVINGS:
CINNAMON CAKE:
- ½ cup vegetable oil, or other neutral oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
CIDER FROSTING:
- 1½ sticks unsalted butter
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- ¼ cup boiled cider
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
2. MAKE THE CINNAMON SHEET CAKE: In a large bowl, whisk the oil, sugar, brown sugar and melted butter until well combined.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking thoroughly to combine before adding the next. Whisk in the vanilla.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
5. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring with a rubber spatula to combine. Mix in the buttermilk and scrape the side of the bowl well to ensure the batter has no dry spots.
6. Pour the batter into the pan and spread it into an even layer. Transfer to the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
7. MAKE THE CIDER FROSTING: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape the bowl well, then add the vanilla, cinnamon and salt; mix to combine.
8. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the boiled cider in a slow, steady stream. Mix until well incorporated.
9. Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake. Serve immediately, or keep covered for up to one day at room temperature.
_______________________________
When I make one of these for myself, I also like to sprinkle a little ground cinnamon on top of the frosting, too- just for a little more flavor.
For my next recipe post, I’m going to share one of my favorite appetizers to whip up for holiday parties. We may not be able to actually have holiday parties anytime soon- but we can still get into the Christmas spirit and eat shamelessly, right?
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 