How to Bake Delicious Applesauce Cake

What's in an apple?

Remember that old adage, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away"? It's true. Apples are a nutritional powerhouse that can help reduce cancer risk and curb allergies. There are many varieties from which to choose and some adapt more successfully than others to specific uses. This moist and flavourful cake uses 2 cups of applesauce. You can make your own or buy some if time is of the essence.

For applesauce: MacIntosh, Pippin, Gala, Fuji, Cortland and Gravenstein varieties are great choices. Softer apples will break down into apple sauce better than firm varieties but as for taste, it's a personal choice. Granny Smith's are tart and some people like adding them to the mix.

If you are making your own applesauce, wash, core and chop 8 to 10 medium apples. Coring doesn't need to be perfect but leaving the seeds in can make the sauce a bit bitter.

You do not need to peel them. Most of the nutrients are just beneath the skin. Tossing them in a bit of lemon juice or orange juice will keep them from turning brown.

	OXO Good Grips Corer Amazon Price: $6.50 List Price: $7.99
	OXO Good Grips Apple Corer and Divider Amazon Price: $5.29 List Price: $9.99

I like the Oxo apple corer and divider for this. It's inexpensive and with one push, it does everything at once.

The plain corer without the dividers works just fine, too, and is handy for other fruit, like pears, that you don't want to segment. It's just personal choice. Both are in my kitchen drawer and I use them all the time. Something that is important to me are the grips and these are easy to use.

	OXO Good Grips Food Mill Amazon Price: $49.95 List Price: $49.99
	Mirro Foley 2-Quart Stainless Steel Food Mill Amazon Price: $24.07 List Price: $39.99

Put them in a saucepan with just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook on low heat for about 45 minutes or until very soft, stirring occasionally to help them break down completely. Remove from heat, sieve and cool.

You can push them through a sieve with the back of a spoon or use a food mill that does the work for you. If you are planning to make your own applesauce, this is an excellent investment and will save you a lot of labor. You can't get the same results from a food processor.

Why the difference in price? Oxo has the grips and won't slide on the counter. 

Source: norwichnuts

The recipe from Grandma's notebook

Apple Sauce Cake

• 2 cups flour
• 2 small cups sugar (you may want less if the applesauce is sweet)
• 2 small cups apple sauce (cold)
• 1 small cup fruit (raisins or currants)
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon soda

• a little allspice (ginger and/or cinnamon can be added too)

Dissolve soda in apple sauce. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift flour and spices together and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the applesauce. Add the dried fruit and stir. Bake in a greased square pan in an oven preheated to 350 F for 35-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed in the centre.

This is lovely served slightly warm with a little vanilla ice cream on the side or you can ice it with a cream cheese icing, garnish with fruit and drizzle with sauce for a spectacular dessert. The photo above is from Flickr and it has inspired me to try strawberries with a drizzle of chocolate, something new for me.

Note: A small cup means scant, not heaping. There are no eggs in this recipe.

Cream Cheese Icing:

• 8 ounces soft cream cheese
• 1/4 cup soft butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup icing sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Add the sugar a third at a time and beat until light and fluffy.

Enjoy!