Iowa Applesauce Cake Recipe

This is a hometown recipe for a moist cake with delicious cream cheese frosting.

• Meal Type: Cake
• Ethnicity: American
• Holiday Category: N/A
• Preparation Time: 30-45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup margarine or butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups applesauce
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter or margarine for 30 seconds. Add both sugars and egg; beat until combined. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices. Add flour mixture alternately with applesauce to butter mixture. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour batter into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan and spread evenly. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.
2. Cream Cheese Frosting
   6 ounces cream cheese, softened
   1/2 cup butter, softened
   2 teaspoons vanilla extract
   4 1/2 to 4 3/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
3. Beat together cream cheese, softened butter or margarine and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar. Beat in remaining 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar to make a spreadable frosting. Spread on cake. For a decorative finish, set a doily lightly on frosted cake and sprinkle lightly with a mixture of cinnamon and nutmeg. Carefully remove the doily.