Applesauce-Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

By BobD

Kristin Donnelly is devoted to her mother's one-bowl Bundt cake because of its clove and cinnamon spices and its simplicity. Today she adds a kick of black pepper to the batter and serves each slice with a cool-sour dollop of crème fraîche.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• One 12-ounce bag semisweet-chocolate chips
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
• Crème fraîche, for serving

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan. In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, cloves and pepper. Whisk in the applesauce, eggs, oil and melted butter. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached.

Transfer the pan to a rack and let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then invert it onto the rack and let cool completely, about 20 minutes. Sift confectioners' sugar over the cake, slice and serve with crème fraîche.