Applesauce Spice Cake with Butterscotch Meringue Frosting

It seems like fall out there.  There’s a nip in the air, school has begun and the trees have the heavy lushness the foretell crimson leaves and ripe apples.

 

My grandparents had a small orchard so we were well supplied with Autumn’s bounty; apple pies and applesauce and my nostalgic favorite applesauce spice cake.  Spicy but not overwhelming,  moist but not dense, sweet but not sticky.  This is the cake that I think of every time I smell spiced cider.

A couple years ago I called home for the recipe.  “It’s in the Betty Crocker Cookbook, honey.”  So I got out my first ever cookbook, the one mom gave me when I went off to college and here it is:

Applesauce Cake

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 1/2 cups applesauce

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup shortening

2 eggs

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Heat over to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour oblong pan 13X9X2 inches or two round layer pans, 8 or 9X1 1/2 inches.  Beat all ingredients except the raisins and nuts in a large mixer bowl on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 30 seconds. Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 3 minutes.  Stir in nuts and raisins.  Pour into pans.

Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, oblong 60-65 minutes, layers 50-55 minutes, cool. 

 

Butterscotch Meringue Frosting

2 egg whites

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup finely chopped nuts

Beat egg whites until foamy.  Beat sugar and lemon juice gradually into egg whites until stiff.  Carefully spread over 13X9 inch cake.  Sprinkle with nuts.  Bake in 400 degree oven until brown, 8-10 minutes.