Apple Cider Cake with Salted Maple Buttercream

All right friends, I’m going to keep this short and sweet so I can get you to this delicious Apple Cider Cake with Salted Cream Cheese Frosting recipe and send you on your way. 

I’ve clearly been on this kick where I’ve got a lot to say. I’ve been writing a lot more and sharing a lot less recipes. I can never tell if this bothers y’all or not. Some of you, I think, come for the recipes, some come for the words. And that’s totally fine with me. I don’t care why you come, just that you do.

I know there’s a whole faction of food blog visitors who get angsty and honestly a bit hostile when they go for a recipe and end up with a story. I know. I’ve seen the memes. And I get it. You don’t want to hear about my life. So don’t. I have a “Jump to the Recipe” function prominently placed at the top for a reason. But a lot of you, I think, are coming for some encouragement.

And because I can’t just write about the food, I’m going to tell you a quick (I promise I’ll keep it brief) story about encouragement and why I write what I write. I shared it over on my Insta (seriously, y’all, follow me) but it’s so important to me that I’m going to share it again. 

Bear with me here.

My son Connor has been playing baseball since he was four. He’s been on three teams, cycling through only when his team has decided to move on up to the next level of competition and he hasn’t quite made the cut. He’s a good little baseball player, he’s focused, coachable and loves to play. But it’s not his thing to be an athlete. He plays for fun and for the team experience but isn’t super competitive about the sport. And that’s totally fine with me (especially since a willing sports parent I am not). 

He’s on a new team this season with a new coach and new teammates. And unlike all of his other coaches, this one seems to care a little less about winning and a little more about giving the boys a chance to play. What does this look like? It looks like letting the kids play every position, bat in every spot on the order and learn how to play the game and have some fun. It’s a massive change from what we’re used to and despite having a losing record, he seems to like it more than any of his previous teams. And this past Wednesday, true to form, his coach decided to put Connor in a new position. As PITCHER.

Yes, despite my adamant protests from the stands, Connor was put on the mound for only his second outing at pitch ever, when his team was winning by only 3 runs, there were no outs, and it was the last inning. The game was his to lose. And as coaches are wont to do, when he put Connor on the mound, he walked out, handed him the ball and had a very brief conversation. So brief, in fact, that he said only four words. Just four.

I Believe In You.

That’s it. Just four little words. 

How powerful is that, y’all? That coach could have talked strategy. He could have given him a big motivational speech. He could have given pointers. He could have done so many things; the game was on the line after all. But instead, he chose to say the most powerful thing he could think of. And it worked.

Now, the team lost. Some kid on the other team hit a massive walk-off triple and The Storm lost. But my son, who could have been literally crushed by defeat, instead walked out with his head held high. Because he was BELIEVED in.

Y’all. I LOST it when I heard this is what his coach said. It is such a blinding example of the power of words, the power of encouragement. WORDS matter. At the end of the day, they can make or break someone’s soul. And when chosen carefully with intention and truth, they have the power to change everything for someone. 

If I’m being honest with you, right here and right now, the reason why this resonated so much with me, the reason why I still get chill bumps when I think about it, is because words are absolutely my love language, and when kind and encouraging ones come my way, especially from those closest to me, I swell with the fullness of someone well-loved. I long for someone to tell me that I am simply enough, without criticism, sarcasm or belittlement. And where it matters to me, I often don’t get it. It’s one of my deepest personal hurts.

This used to break me. I would crumble when I was looking for support and didn’t get it. I turned myself inside out to be be good enough and smart enough and successful enough and I never was. Mostly because whenever you’re putting your sense of your self and your worth in someone else, you’re probably going to end up feeling less than. Other people, no matter how much they love you, are going to let you down. It’s a fact. And putting all of my worth into what others thought about me was a recipe for disaster.

This was me until two years ago. When, as low as a person could possibly be, I started this little blog. I didn’t really know what I was doing nor did I have any plan. I just knew I wanted to cook, share recipes and encourage people. I made a little silent vow to myself that I would speak the life and encouragement I so desperately wanted in my own life into other people. With every post, every word and in a thousand different ways, I would tell people I believe in them. That they are loved. That they matter. My theme would be, on repeat, that people are valuable. Not because they got the win or make the money or look the right way, but because they are. It’s that simple. 

Let me tell you, it’s easy to pour from a cup that is full, but some days, especially those when I’m feeling depleted and spent, pouring from an empty cup is hard. It’s hard to say the things to other people you desperately need to hear for yourself. It’s hard. But I can also tell you, now that I’ve been doing it for two years, that it’s had a ripple effect I never ever expected. Because when I am sitting here on my couch, writing these words to tell you that you matter, I am digesting the fact that I do too. When I share a post on social media telling you that you are loved, I am remembering that I am too. The words I share are rippling out into the world and filling my own heart along the way. 

Y’all words MATTER. 

So maybe you’re annoyed and want to get to the recipe, and I totally get that. But hear me first, if you never stop to read another non-food related word I write: I BELIEVE IN YOU. YOU MATTER. Not just in a last inning of the game, it’s all in your hands type of way, but in an everyday real life way. I believe in you. You’ve got this. Keep going. 

You were created with loving care for a purpose. You are loved. You matter. And I BELIEVE IN YOU.

Apple Cider Cake with Salted Maple Frosting

Whew…that was a little deep, right? Well, let’s get on to happier and decidedly sweeter things, ok? 

This little Apple Cider Cake with Salted Maple Frosting is a 9×13 sheet pan of fall flavor. It’s simply delicious, there is no other way to state it. It seems like you can’t get on Pinterest without an Apple Cider Donut recipe hitting you in the face and while I really wanted to try to create one of those, I totally whimped out because I’ve never even made even a regular old donut before. It seems hard and I’m intimidated. But cake? Cake I can handle.

This one gets its full cider flavor by using apple cider concentrate. I know that sounds super fancy and intimidating. But it’s not. It’s deceptively simple. Just cook 2 cups of apple cider on a simmer for about an hour on low, stirring occasionally. It should reduce slightly but increase in flavor two fold. It’s like a super-secret hero ingredient. I promise.

And then the icing, oh the icing. You want a balance of salty and sweet here, that’s the purpose so I HIGHLY recommend salted butter. If you don’t have it on hand and are opposed to it for some reason, go ahead and use unsalted but add salt pinch by pinch after the maple syrup has been added so you can get the balance that is most appealing to you. This is completely worth the effort, I promise.

So take this cake to your next fall potluck. Or make it for Halloween. It’s like the fall dream for pumpkin haters (and the rest of us alike).

Peace, love and I BELIEVE IN YOU,

Meg 

Apple Cider Cake with Salted Maple Buttercream

March 17, 2020

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By: Meaghan Dawson

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 4 eggs, room temp
• 2 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 3/4 cups apple cider concentrate, room temp
• 1/2 cup milk, room temp
• For the Icing:
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
• 2-4 tablespoons half and half or whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of salt

Directions

• Step 1 Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray
• Step 2 In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugars, sour cream and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.
• Step 3 Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined.
• Step 4 In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.
• Step 5 Combine milk and apple cider and quickly whisk together.
• Step 6 Working in batches, alternately add dry ingredients and cider mixture to batter, mixing gently until incorporated in between. Aim for 3 portions of dry and 2 of wet.
• Step 7 After completely mixed and smooth, pour into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through and light brown in color.
• Step 8 Set aside to cool.
• Step 9 To make Icing:
• Step 10 Using a mixer, beat butter until completely smooth.
• Step 11 Add in powdered sugar and mix gently so as not to make a giant mess.
• Step 12 Once smooth, add maple syrup, vanilla and half and half. Mix until incorporated.
• Step 13 Add salt as necessary.
• Step 14 To assemble:
• Step 15 Spread icing evenly over cooled cake and serve.

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