For those of you keeping track at home, I’ve finished seven exams and two assignments during my push to a homework-free Italian vacation. I’m off to LA over the weekend, so there won’t be much going on outside of eating In-N-Out, lounging by the pool [first day of bikini season 2012!], and watching the Timbers play the Galaxy. It’s a rough life that I lead.

I also cannot stop thinking about ice cream. The past few nights I’ve been working on all-homework-all-the-time, and by the time I come up for air, I’m craving ice cream [more specifically matcha green tea ice cream or currant sorbet and vanilla] something fierce. Like clockwork this happens at 10:45pm, and they close at 11pm. Of course they do.

So tonight, as soon as I finish my salad with crumbled hummus burgers [oh, you’ll hear all about those later], I think I’m going to go. I deserve it, damn it.

I almost baked last night in a fit of weakness after realizing that there would be no ice cream. Again. The ingredients to this applesauce cake were calling my name, but I didn’t think I should would eat a whole cake by myself in less than 48 hours. It’s dense and spicy. It didn’t need a glaze or frosting [but by all means, feel free]. Now that I think about it, it would be so good as the base to a scoop of ice cream. Don’t tempt me.

Inspiration: Food52

Ingredients

1 cups all-purpose flour [or 1/2 whole wheat pastry, 1/2 all-purpose]

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar [I used the last of the NuNaturals MoreFiber Blend]

1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons applesauce [unsweetened]

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350° and get out a 9″ cake pan. Sift together the flour(s), baking soda, salt, pepper, and spices. In a stand mixer, beat the egg and sugars together until light and fluffy. Mix in the applesauce, oil, and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients. Pour the ingredients into the pan and bake for 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clear. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Serves 8