Applesauce Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Set the oven to 350°F and lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. In a large bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and ground spices: 1/2 teaspoon of cloves, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, use a hand mixer to blend 1/2 cup of unsalted, room-temperature butter, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of lightly packed light brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until the mixture is creamy and combined. Then, mix in 2 cups of regular applesauce.

Add in 2 large eggs one at a time mixing after each addition.

Mix the applesauce mixture with the flour mixture until well combined, then spread the cake batter evenly into a 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Once the cake is out of the oven, allow it to completely cool before frosting it.

While the cake cools, prepare the frosting. In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to blend 4 ounces of room temperature cream cheese with 2 cups of confectioners sugar. Gradually add 4 tablespoons of cream, whipping until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

After the cake has fully cooled, evenly spread the frosting over its top.

Enjoy!