Apple Butter Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

• 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 cup sugar 
• ½ teaspoon baking powder 
• 2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt 
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon 
• 2 teaspoons cardamom 
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
• 6 eggs 
• 3 cups apple butter or applesauce 
• ¾ cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg together into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, apple butter, and oil. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir gently until completely combined.

Grease four 9-inch round cake pans. Divide the batter evenly among the pans. Set two pans each on separate cookie sheets. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely. Frost and chill or serve right away—you might have to defend the cake if hungry mouths are waiting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 cup (8 oz) cream cheese 
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter 
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt 
• 2 lb confectioners’ sugar 
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract 
• 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream

Cream the cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer. Add salt. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time until it is all incorporated. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons of cream to give the frosting the consistency you like.

From Delicious Maine Desserts by Cynthia Finnemore Simonds