Applesauce Cake with Bourbon Raisins

Ingredients

Prep

• Unsalted butter - bring to room temperature
• Eggs - bring to room temperature — look at you, operating like a highly paid adult.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan, line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pan. Tap out the excess flour. Combine the raisins and bourbon in a small bowl, cover, and microwave for 30 seconds. Set aside for 15 minutes. Place the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or by hand) and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer on medium, add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time and mix until smooth. Meanwhie, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and 1/2 tsp salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the batter, mixing just until combined. Stir in the applesauce. Fold in the raisins and liquid with a rubber spatula and mix well. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top, because this exact moment is where decent becomes dangerous. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, while gazing at the pan with pure, unreasonable devotion. Cool for 30 minutes, turn out onto a cooling rack, rounded side up and cool completely. Spread the cream cheese frosting on top of the cake (or use Bourbon Cream Cheese frosting) and serve at room temperature.