This comforting and tender spiced apple butter loaf is topped with swirls of cream cheese icing and spiced apple butter for the perfect hobbit dessert!
An Unexpected Feast
Bilbo Baggins’ world is turned upside down one ordinary morning when he is visited after breakfast by the wandering wizard Gandalf. Despite having fond childhood memories of the wizard, Bilbo is uncomfortable during the meeting, particularly at the suggestion of an adventure. A hasty invitation to tea, meant to send Gandalf on his way, has the unexpected consequence of sending Bilbo on the first of many life changing adventures.
The following day Gandalf keeps his appointment and brings with him a company of 13 dwarves. As the dwarves descend upon Bag End, one by one, they begin to call out their food orders. From drinks to savouries to sweets, Gandalf, Thorin, and company prove to have voracious and hearty appetites. Luckily for the dwarves, Bilbo’s pantry is well-stocked and their unexpected feast turns out to be quite the lavish and indulgent feast!
Cakes
As the company of dwarves descend up Bag End, one of Bilbo’s first concerns is how much cake he has and whether there will be enough for him to have after his guests partake. Unfortunately for Bilbo, his unfailing manners means that he does indeed go without.
Given their love of good food, it is no surprise that hobbits have a talent for baking cozy and delicious treats. For this apple butter loaf cake, we have pulled a jar of homemade spiced apple butter from our well-stocked pantry. The apple butter adds a delicious spiced flavour to this moist and tender cake. The spiced loaf is then topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting and swirls of spiced apple butter. This apple butter loaf cake is a comforting and decadent rustic dessert – perfect for an afternoon tea treat or a very large unexpected party of dwarves!
“He had a horrible thought that the cakes might run short, and then he – as the host: he knew his duty and stuck to it however painful – he might have to go without.”
-The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (Chapter 1: An Unexpected Party)
Ingredients
Spiced Apple Butter: Thick and lightly spiced, the apple butter in this recipe really shines. You can use purchased apple butter or make your own. Our Spiced Apple Butter from our Hobbit Pantry recipe series is perfect for this recipe.
Flour: This recipe uses all-purpose flour.
Vegetable oil: Using vegetable oil as the fat creates an incredibly moist and tender loaf. Any neutral oil will work. Melted butter could also be used in a pinch.
Cream cheese: A tangy cream cheese frosting is the perfect topping for this loaf. Use full fat cream cheese and not low fat, which could make the frosting runny.
How to Make Spiced Apple Butter Loaf
Make the batter
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Whisk together and set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs. Whisk together until combined. Whisk in the apple butter and buttermilk until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk together just until combined. Do not over mix the batter at this stage. Spray a 9x5x2.75-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the surface.
Bake the loaf
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the loaf for 50 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean and the top of the loaf springs back at the touch. Transfer the loaf pan to a rack and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the loaf and tip out onto the rack. Allow the loaf to cool completely before topping with the cream cheese frosting.
Make the frosting
In a mixing bowl, add the softened butter and icing sugar. Use a beater to cream the butter into the icing sugar. It will look dry and crumbly which is normal. Beat together until all the butter has been blended into the icing sugar and it resembles crumbs. Cut the cold cream cheese into small cubes and add to the mixing bowl. Beat until the cream cheese has fully combined and the frosting is thick and creamy. Add the apple butter and beat until combined.
Serve the Spiced Apple Loaf
Top the cooled loaf with the cream cheese frosting. Spoon over a bit more apple butter and swirl decoratively into the frosting. This loaf should be refrigerated if keeping overnight. Enjoy!
