Apple Sauce Nut Cake

Submitted by: Martha Hilboldt

Apple sauce keeps this cake moist and delicious for several days.  It is wonderful served as a breakfast bread or as a dessert.  Smaller versions make great gifts.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon clove
24 oz. jar Mott's regular apple sauce
1/c melted butter
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup raisins if desired
Powdered sugar for dusting
Unsweetened cocoa for dusting


Instructions:
Heat oven to 325, grease and flour fluted tube pan, or smaller loaf pans.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Mix well.  In medium saucepan heat apple sauce and butter until hot.  Add to dry ingredients, stirring until moistened.  Stir in nuts and raisins.  Pour into prepared tube pan.  Bake at 375 for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes.  Invert onto serving plate.  Cool completely, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cocoa.

This cake freezes well.  I usually use small decorative pans and make little cakes for gift giving.  Note: Smaller pans need shorter baking time.  Be sure whatever pan you use is oiled and dusted.