Vanilla Spiced Applesauce
This year I am welcoming this crisp cooler air with open arms. I just pulled out my box of sweaters and sweatshirts this weekend and have been rocking a hoodie all weekend long. One of the things Hubby and I do every year to ring in the new season is to go apple picking. It’s become a tradition to do this with my brother and his family.
We’re lucky enough to live about 30 miles form my brother. The rest of my family is out in the Midwest where I grew up. Every year, they bring their kids and it’s fun to look back at last year’s apple picking adventure to see how my little niece and nephew have grown.
After we got home with our bag of apples, Hubby made his first request of the season for applesauce. He loves homemade applesauce and I tend to only make it in the fall. My favorite recipe to make is this Cranberry Applesauce but I was in the mood to mix things up this time around. I had a few vanilla beans in the cabinet and decided to make this Vanilla Spiced Applesauce.
Hubby enjoyed the flavor and I loved the little black specks. Vanilla beans are probably one of my favorite ingredients out there.
One Year Ago: Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce
Two Years Ago: Chicken Tikka Masala
Four Years Ago: Tiramisu Cupcakes
Five Years Ago: The Cone Method and Mussels
Don’t forget about my Power of Pink Challenge – make something PINK by the end of the month to raise Breast Cancer Awareness!
Vanilla Spiced Applesauce
Homemade applesauce spiced with vanilla beans, anise, and cardamom.
Yield: 10-12 servings
Ingredients:
8 apples, diced into large chunks
3 vanilla beans
2 whole star anise
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
1 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
Directions:
Place the apples in the bottom of a dutch oven or large pan.
Slice the vanilla pods in half lengthwise. Scrape the seeds from the pods with the back of a knife. Place seeds and pods in pan.
Add remaining ingredients and set over medium-high heat until the water starts to boil.
Stir applesauce mixture, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes until apples have broken apart. Use a potato masher to help mash the apples if you'd like.
Allow applesauce to cool and remove star anise pods and vanilla bean pods.
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
Oh yum Jen! These look absolutely delicious! What a great July 4th treat…..maybe split them and serve ’em up like a Strawberry Shortcake??? Yum.
http://www.simplysweeter.blogspot.com
Hi Jen, by any chance do you remember about how many strawberries you used for the recipe and also for filling? I have maybe 10-15 strawberries at home that need to be used asap and wondered if that was enough?
KV – Sorry I don’t. We had a big thing of strawberries in the fridge that Hubby had cut up for us to snack on. I would say it was less than a pint, but pretty close to a pint? Not really sure. Sorry I can’t be more help.
strawberries are my favorite fruit ever! in my opinion, they always should be enjoyed fresh no matter what. even in desserts! 😀 your cupcakes look great, by the wayaoh
I’ve heard that strawberry cake doesn’t end up being that sweet, but maybe the addition of fresh strawberries on top changes things. I’m a huge strawberry fan, so I’m anxious to try this.
Cupcake Activist – I could definitely see that the batter itself might not be that sweet. I thought they were great with the additional strawberries added in.
This looks divine. I made the Sky High strawberry cake with frozen berries and I thought it was really good, but I’d like to try again with fresh ones too! Your hubby has some very luck coworkers 🙂
Love this recipe.. infact all of your cupcake recipes. I made your Fauxtess cupcakes the other day and turned out wonderfully.. This is now on my wish list. :
http://www.brisbanebaker.blogspot.com
These look so simple and beautiful! I love strawberry cake and I especially love the way the fresh strawberries look inside 🙂
Sues
cant go wrong with strawberry…just made strawberry marscapone filled cupcakes myself! 🙂
http://cuppycakebakes.blogspot.com
I love how you frosted these cupcakes!! did you start from the inside and go out with a 1M tip?
Yes, soohyunee, to make the rosette, I started in the center and swirled around to the outside.
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