Recipe: Apple Spice Cake with Lemon Glaze

APPLE SPICE CAKE WITH LEMON GLAZE

"Here is a pleasantly spiced cake chock full of raisins and nuts that gets its moist texture from the applesauce. Let the flavors improve by keeping the cake a day or so before serving."

FOR THE CAKE:
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 (15 oz jar) applesauce (1 1/2 cups)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
FOR THE LEMON GLAZE:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 to 2 tbsp lemon juice

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch angel-cake tube pan. Dust with flour; tap out excess.

Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves into large bowl; add shortening and applesauce. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed, 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; beat at med speed, 1 minute. Stir in raisins and nuts and blend well; pour into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool cake pan on wire rack 10 minutes; loosen around edges with a knife; turn out onto wire rack; cool completely.

Drizzle Lemon Glaze over top of cooled cake, letting it run down the side.

TO MAKE THE LEMON GLAZE:
Blend powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth. (Makes 1/2 cups)

Source: Magazine Clipping