Homey Apple Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×13 baking pan and set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt together in a mixing bowl.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and whisk until completely melted and smooth. This should take about one minute, then remove the pan from the heat.

Whisk the eggs into the saucepan, one at time, incorporating each one completely. Add the applesauce, vanilla, and bourbon. Whisk til smooth.

With a rubber spatula, gently stir in the dry ingredients, just until they disappear, then add in the raisins, apples, and nuts.

Scrape into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until dark brown and the cake begins to pull away from the edge of the pan. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean. If not, return the cake to the oven until it does.

Place cake on wire rack to cool.

To make the glaze, combine all the ingredients except the vanilla, in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Adjust heat to a simmer, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and stir in vanilla

Pour the warm glaze over the cake and spread evenly with a metal off-set spatula.

Serve with vanilla ice cream over the top.

Cake will keep for at least 3 days at room temperature.