Chocolate Applesauce Cake
I found this in an older cookbook and, of course, I had to slightly modify it. It's a spiced chocolate cake made all the better with rum-soaked raisins. You can add nuts but that's a personal choice.
I found this in an older cookbook and, of course, I had to slightly modify it. It's a spiced chocolate cake made all the better with rum-soaked raisins. You can add nuts but that's a personal choice.
- Carbohydrate 63.2579350935282 g
- Cholesterol 2.12593655555556 mg
- Fat 4.64413303586601 g
- Fiber 1.81543395306327 g
- Protein 2.71347621394141 g
- Saturated Fat 1.92218399784956 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (109g)
- Sodium 136.264088395191 mg
- Sugar 61.442501140465 g
- Trans Fat 0.309014910051938 g
- Calories 298 calories
Step-by-step
- Soak raisins in rum until plump. You can use any rum but since a big part of this cake is about the spices I recommend spiced rum.
- Drain the raisins.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Prepare a 9x13 cake pan by greasing and flouring.
- Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- Cream shortening and sugar.
- Add eggs one at a time beating well.
- Add sifted mixture and applesauce to creamed mixture in 3 alternating additions of dry and liquid.
- Add raisins.
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
Applesauce acts as the structural anchor in this bake, providing moisture while simultaneously permitting a drastic reduction in added fats. Using unsweetened applesauce allows precise control over the final sugar balance without sacrificing the dense, tender crumb characteristic of old-fashioned fruit cakes. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and ground spices together through a fine-mesh sieve before mixing. This aeration step prevents bitter pockets of cocoa and dense clusters of baking soda from forming in the batter. Plumping the raisins in spiced rum infuses the dried fruit with aromatic compounds that complement the nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. Drain those raisins thoroughly to avoid introducing excess liquid that could throw off the flour-to-liquid ratio. Creaming the shortening and sugar properly incorporates tiny air cells that expand under heat, giving the cake a reliable rise despite the heavy fruit purée. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the applesauce in three distinct additions. This intermittent method prevents gluten overdevelopment, which would otherwise yield a tough texture. Grease and flour a nine-by-thirteen-inch pan thoroughly to ensure the baked crumb releases cleanly without tearing. Bake the pan at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately thirty-five minutes. Test doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center; withdrawal should reveal no wet batter clinging to the wood. Leftover slices improve on the second day as the spices fully saturate the crumb and the raisins soften further. Store the wrapped cake at room temperature for up to three days to maintain optimal moisture levels.
