Applesauce Spice Cake!

I've been on an Applesauce kick, it's applesauce this and applesauce that. Maybe it's because I'm starting to wish for fall and there's nothing like the scent of nutmeg and allspice, mingled with apples to make me feel like I am right in the middle of the season.

I got this recipe from the wonderful Marie at A Year From Oak Cottage. I just LOVE her recipes.

*Applesauce Spice Cake*

Serves 10 to 12

This is a lovely cake that the whole family will enjoy. Deliciously moist and full of the wonderful flavour of spice, studded with soft raisins and crunchy walnuts, this truly is a joy to bake and to eat. The smell of this when it is baking is truly heavenly!


2 ½ cups plain flour
1 cups caster sugar
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
½ cup vegetable shortening such as Trex, White Flora or Crisco
½ cup water
2 large eggs, beaten
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 cup sultanas

FOR THE ICING:
¾ cup of softened butter
5 cups icing sugar, sifted
¼ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp lemon essence

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 by 15 inch baking pan and set aside.

Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder, spices and sugar into a large bowl.

Drop in the shortening, applesauce, water and eggs.



Beat it all together with an electric mixer until it is all smooth, beating well. Fold in the sultanas and walnuts.


I didn't have walnuts so I took a small pack of peanuts and chopped them

Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake for approximately 34 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned and the top springs back when lightly touched. Alternately you may use a toothpick to see if it is done, which when inserted will come out clean.

Remove from the oven and place in the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
Once completely cool make the frosting.

Beat the butter until light and fluffy

and then beat in the remaining ingredients, beating until smooth and fluffy.

Spread evenly across the top of the cake.


(leave the cake in the pan and serve from there) If you want you can sprinkle more toasted walnuts over the top of the finished cake.

Delicious!

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