Mother's Improved Applesauce Cake
 
 
Memories are made in the kitchens of many grandmothers. This one....
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Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 7 mini-loaves
Ingredients
  • ¾ c. butter, softened
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 c. unsweetened applesauce or homemade applesauce
  • 2 t. baking soda
  • 1 T. vanilla
  • 4 c. flour
  • 1 T. cinnamon
  • 1½ t. cloves
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 t. baking powder
  • 1 c. black walnuts, finely chopped (See notes:)
  • 1 c. currants or golden raisins
  • 1 c. raisins
  • 1 c. Craisins- This is not part of the original recipe, but works well and adds seasonal color.
  • 1 c. pickled watermelon rind, diced small (* optional if you can't find it)- See notes below.)
Instructions
  1. The night prior to making this, I prep a couple of ingredients. Using a whisk, blend the applesauce and baking soda evenly in a glass bowl. This helps the applesauce turn darker which affects the color of the cake. It will fizz at first when added.
  2. Stir together currants, raisins and Craisins to evenly distribute. Cover with boiling water and soak overnight or until plump. Pour into a strainer to drain excess water before using in recipe.
  3. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  4. Cream together butter and sugar.(My grandmother used to do this by hand according to Aunt Shirley.)
  5. Add eggs; blend in vanilla and applesauce.
  6. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, cloves, salt and baking powder.
  7. Toss about 2 T. of the flour with the walnuts to coat them. Stir about ½ cup of the flour mixture with the currants, raisins and Craisins.( I put them into a Ziploc bag and shook them. )
  8. Add flour mixture into creamed mixture.
  9. Blend in nuts, soaked(and drained) fruit mixture along with the chopped watermelon rind.
Notes
Pecans may be substituted, but black walnuts give it that authentic flavor I remember from childhood.
I have added drained crushed pineapple in place of the sweet pickled watermelon rind which turned out well as a replacement.
Recipe by My Dragonfly Cafe at https://mydragonflycafe.com/applesauce-cake/