Applesauce Cake

Before the holidays I had quite a few apples to dispose of, so I made plain applesauce. Then I needed a recipe to use up a lot of the applesauce (which turned out really well, BTW). I scoured my cookbooks to find an apple cake recipe that didn't use lots of oil and found this one in a regional (upstate NY) cookbook.

My father really, really liked this cake! (I made it w-o the nuts and didn't chop the raisins). It was very moist and kept well in a covered container.

Applesauce Cake Bowers Corner Press, Maine, NY 1994) ***************************** 2 c sugar 1-2 c butter 1 egg, slightly beaten 2-1-2 c applesauce, preferably homemade and unsweetened

2 T baking soda 1-2 c boiling water

2-1-2 c flour 1-2 tsp cinnamon 1-2 tsp ground cloves 1-2 tsp allspice salt

1 c raisins, chopped 1-2 c walnuts, chopped

Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar, butter, and egg. Beat in applesauce.

3. In a small bowl combine baking soda and boiling water.

4. Combine flour, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and a pinch of salt. Add this mixture to creamed mixture alternately with dissolved baking soda in water, mixing after each addtioin. (The book says this is more sucessful when done by hand, with a spoon rather than a mixer; however I didn't have any trouble with a mixer at low speed.)

5. Pour into a rectangular 8" X 13" baking pan. Bake 30-45 minutes until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Sue(tm) Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!