by Diamond Channing

Created on: May 25, 2010

When my grandmother would make her special applesauce cake she would always add just a little cocoa and fresh coffee. This was a trick she had learned from her own mother. We pass along a little piece of heritage with every family recipe to the next generation. The next time you host a family dinner, ask everyone to bring one of their favorite family recipes. You can later put them all into a book for everyone to enjoy. 

Grandma's Applesauce Cake - Makes 10 servings.

2 cups sifted flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. of salt

1 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon

1 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 stick of butter

1 1/2 cups of dark brown sugar (packed)

2 large size eggs ( room temperature)

1 1/2 cups of applesauce

3/4 cup brewed hot coffee ( strong )

1 1/2 cups of raisins

1/4 cup of chopped walnuts

2 cups of powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 6 -cup Bundt pan. Whisk the flour, 1/4 cup of cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves together in a large size bowl and set to the side. Cream your butter and the dark brown sugar until it is fluffy and light in a large bowl. Use a mixer set at medium speed to do this. Add one of the eggs and beat it until it is incorporated. Do the same with the second egg. Reduce your mixer speed to the low setting and add the flour mixture by thirds. Alternate with the applesauce. Scrape the sides of the bowl down and set your mixer speed to medium. Add the 1/2 cup of hot coffee quickly. Deat for about 30 seconds until it is fully combined. Now fold in the raisins and the walnuts. 

Now you are ready to bake the cake. Pour the cake batter into the greased pan and place on the middle rack in the oven. Test the cake with a tester until it comes out clean. This will take about 40 to 45 minutes for the cake to finish baking. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. Cool it just until it is slightly warm. With a knife, gently run it around the edge of the pan, remove the cake, and allow it to cool completely.

Now you are ready to prepare the glaze. Sift the powdered sugar and the remaining coca powder together. Make a well in the center of this mixture and pour in the remaining 1/4 cup of coffee. Whisk until it is well blended. Pour this over the top of the cake. Allow it to soak in and serve immediately.

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