Recipe: Julia Child's Applesauce Fruitcake (with nuts and raisins)

JULIA CHILD'S APPLESAUCE FRUITCAKE

2 cups golden seedless raisins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp salt
1 cup hazelnuts or walnuts, toasted
1 Tbsp double acting baking powder
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup cool, thick applesauce or boiled down canned applesauce
Vanilla ice cream (optional, for serving)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch, 6 cup loaf pan. Line the bottom with wax paper.

Toss the raisins in the flour, add the sugars, seasonings, nuts and baking powder.

Beat the butter into the applesauce; blend into the flour mixture. Turn batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours or until a skewer comes out clean - do not press or poke until set or cake may deflate. Cool 20 minutes in the pan, then unmold, turn right-side up and cool on a rack. Wrap and let cure a day before serving.

Serve as is or with vanilla ice cream.