Monday, February 28, 2011

“Vintage” recipe for applesauce cake…

Sometimes the best recipes are the ones found in grandma’s recipe box or in the pages of an old, tattered and stained church cookbook…you know, the old-fashioned recipes, but I prefer to call the recipe vintage in order to appear trendy and chic.

This recipe came from my son-in-law’s grandma.  I first had it at my daughter’s and had to have the recipe for myself.  So here is the recipe for Grandma’s Applesauce Cake, with a few tweaks by yours truly.

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Sift together :

2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

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ADD:

two lightly beaten eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil (Grandma used shortening)

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

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Beat with mixer on medium speed for two minutes. 

Scrape bowl and add 1 cup raisins and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) and lightly mix in.

(Look at the above photo, I don’t even follow my own directions…I added the raisins too soon.

This recipe seems to be very forgiving. Thank goodness.)

Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans, two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, or one 9x13 cake pan and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. 

(I made 12 of the jumbo sized cupcakes instead and they baked for 25 minutes.)

Insert a toothpick or cake tester into the middle of the cake to see if it comes out clean,

which means the cake is done.

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Grandma’s recipe called for the cake to be served warm with this caramel sauce:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

Combine all in saucepan, bring to a boil, remove from heat.

Instead, once the cupcakes were completely cool, I frosted mine with my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe that a friend from church gave me:

With mixer blend:

1/2 cup room temperature butter

8 oz. of room temperature cream cheese

1-2 teaspoons of vanilla

turn mixer off and carefully add

1 lb. of powdered sugar

Mix with mixer until creamy and fluffy.

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I served the cupcakes with a little sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

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So moist, spicy, yummmmmmy.

 

Happy Baking!

Elizabeth

All Things Heart and Home
Photobucket
Beach Cottage Good Life Wednesdays

10 comments:

  1. Thankyou for this recipe. We have apples on the tree at the moment, so I will stew some to make applesauce,and then we will eat them!

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  2. I probably should NOT have opened this blog this morning. These are so much up my alley that now I'm hungry for them.

    And I'm SUPPOSED to be on a diet, you see...

    I like your touch of the cream cheese frosting sprinkled with cinammon, but that caramel sauce sounds miiiiighty tasty too!

    My girls are coming home for spring break next week. I think these would make a wonderful treat.

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  3. Oh! I have a recipe for applesauce cake! But yours is so beautiful with it's creamed topping. You've inspired me to get in the kitchen and bake my babies something! Thanks

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  4. Ok you made my mouth WATER! I think I just gained four pounds wanting a bite of those tasty looking cupcakes.

    Danielle

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  5. Yummy! Thanks, I have a feeling my kiddos are going to love these.

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  6. Oh these are so yummy looking! I love applesauce although when I use it it really is as a substitute for butter in baking. I am definitely bookmarking this recipe for future use.

    Angie @ Cocina Diary

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  7. Has anyone tried doubling the recipe yet? I plan to make this for a family event but I want to make sure there is plenty to go around because it looks so yummy!

    Riyanna
    Something about deliverance in Jesus Christ's name

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  8. I used homemade unsweetened applesauce and 1 cup whole wheat flour. It was moist and full of yummy flavor. Whole wheat gives it that extra grit. Yum Yum!

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