BUTTERMILK SPICE WITH ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Buttermilk Spice Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting 

1 pkg. plain spice cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup sweetened applesauce

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease and flour 2 – 9” round cake pans. Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes, scraping sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with a spatula. Bake until the cakes spring back when lightly pressed, about 26-28 minutes. Cool on a wire rack about 10 minutes. Remove from pans after running knife around the edge of each pan and cool on racks right side up. Cool completely before frosting. 

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting 

1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese at room temperature

1 stick butter, room temperature

3 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon grated orange zest 

Place cream cheese and butter in large mixing bowl. Blend with mixer on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and add confectioner’s sugar, a bit at a time, on low speed until well combined. Add the orange juice and orange zest. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting lightens and is fluffy, about 1 minute more. Use at once to frost the top and sides of the cake.