Applesauce Snack Cake

Ingredients

For 12 servings

• •Cooking spray
• •2 tasse all-purpose flour (9 ounces; 260 g)
• •2 c. à café (8 g) baking powder
• •1 /2 teaspoon baking soda
• •1 tasse (240 ml) homemade applesauce or store-bought unsweetened applesauce , at room temperature
• •1 /3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• •1 /3 cup (80 ml) honey
• •1 /3 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons (2 1/3 ounces; 66 g total), divided
• •2 large eggs, at room temperature
• •1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• •2 c. à café lemon zest from 1 lemon
• •1 1/2 (7 ml) teaspoons vanilla
• •1 c. à café Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
• •2 c. à soupe finely chopped crystallized ginger

Method

1. 1.Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 325°F (160°C). Line an 8-inch-square metal baking pan with a long strip of parchment to cover the bottom and 2 of the sides, then grease with cooking spray.
2. 2.In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. In a large bowl, whisk together applesauce, oil, honey, sugar, eggs, ginger, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt. Add flour mixture to applesauce mixture and whisk until just combined.
3. 3.Using a rubber spatula, transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top. Sprinkle evenly with crystallized ginger and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.
4. 4.Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours. Serve.