Glazed Applesauce Cake

Prep the oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9×9-inch baking dish and line with parchment paper.

Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cloves, ginger, and salt.

Mix the wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla extract, oil, Greek yogurt, and applesauce until smooth. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir gently with a spoon or spatula until a thick batter forms and no dry streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake. Bake until the cake is fairly firm when you press lightly on the center, 28 to 32 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a baking rack for at least 1 hour. Use the parchment to remove the cake from the pan, then remove the paper and transfer the cake to a cutting board.

Make the icing. In a small bowl, use a spoon to stir together the powdered sugar, sour cream, and vanilla extract; it will seem dry and thick at first, but keep stirring until it comes together as a smooth icing (if it still seems very dry, add ½ teaspoon of milk; if it is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar). Pour the icing over the cake and smooth it over the top with a spatula. If desired, top with a few grates of a cinnamon stick or a pinch of two of ground cinnamon. Before the icing sets, cut into 16 pieces. Enjoy immediately or allow the icing to set for about 30 minutes.