CHOCOLATE APPLESAUCE CAKE

When I baked this cake for the volunteers at Hillcrest Thrift Shop last week, I told them I was renaming it Surprise Chocolate Cake. That's because when you see it, it looks like a rich chocolate cake. But when you eat a bite, the spices are a total surprise. At least I was. They liked it, spices and all. I think you could bake it and omit any or all of the spices and you could still have a delicious rich chocolate cake. My husband doesn't like cloves and allspice, but he liked the cake. He did recognize they were in it.

The recipe was submitted by Lucile Sparrowhawk and Mildred Fehlman and was in the Wakefield Community Cooks Cookbook.

CHOCOLATE APPLESAUCE CAKE

2        cups flour
1-1/2  cups sugar (I used 3/4 cup truvia baking blend)
1-1/2  teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2  teaspoons salt
2        tablespoons cocoa
1/2     teaspoon cinnamon
1/2     teaspoon allspice
1/2     teaspoon cloves
1/2     teaspoon nutmeg
1/2     cup shortening
2        cups applesauce (I used no-sugar-added applesauce)
2        large eggs (unbeaten)
1/2     cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (I did use walnuts)
1/2     cup chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 - inch baking pan. (I used my homemade Pan Grease)

Sift dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl...(flour through nutmeg)

Add shortening, applesauce, and eggs;

beat well. ( I combined the ingredients on stir til all ingredients mixed - about 30 seconds. After scraping the sides of the bowl, then I increased the speed of the mixer and beat for 2 minutes..

spread the batter evenly in pan.

Sprinkle the chips over the top of the batter and then the nuts.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Cool in pan on wire rack.

Cut in squares to serve.











Note from cookbook: "This is an excellent cake for a "carry out" as it travels well."