Applesauce Cake

Happy National Applesauce Cake Day!! I know, how specific of a food holiday. Just wait until December. You’ll see. Anyhoo, I have just been dying to use a funny cookbook I have from 1955 called, “Cakes Men Like.” Can you believe that title? There are only 14 recipes in this book; so I guess they are trying to say that men are picky eaters or they don’t really like a large variety of cakes. I was glad to see that they had an Applesauce Cake in the ones that they selected for the book.
I’m not sure this is the best example of a cake for today’s holiday, but it was still good. Very strong flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice which it reminded me a lot of Gingerbread. The loaf pan made it very easy, and aside from the sifting it was a simple recipe. A couple of things: I used 2 little ½ cup snack packs of applesauce which equaled one cup. I do prefer Santa Cruz Organic Applesauce over all the others out there. It is just like eating a fresh apple. Plus, I decided to make a quick icing. I chose to do a simple Powdered Sugar Icing because of the cake's Gingerbread like quality. I was in a hurry to get to my niece’s Kindergarten Graduation and did not have time to let things cool properly. The icing was drizzled over my piece of cake in the picture but it soaked it right up. You will notice that the cake either does not look done or is too moist. Neither is the case.
So here is your opportunity to make a cake from my funny cookbook. You can see if the man in your life really does like it.

Applesauce Cake
1 ¾ cups sifted flour
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup unsweetened applesauce

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a loaf pan.
Sift together first 7 ingredients. Cream shortening. Add sugar gradually; continue beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Stir in applesauce. Add sifted dry ingredients; stir only enough to blend. Pour into pan. Bake 50-60 or until cake springs back to touch. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack. Frost if desired.
Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tab butter, softened
2 tab milk
¼ tsp vanilla
Combine all ingredients and pour over cooled cake.