Recipe: Applesauce-Raisin Hand Cake (9-inch square)

APPLESAUCE-RAISIN HAND CAKE

"Applesauce lends moistness and tenderizes the crumb of this mildly spiced cake, as well as contributing its autumnal apple flavor. It's a mix-in-one pot "hand cake" that's perfect for snacking, but that certainly doesn't mean you can't add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and serve it as a fall dessert."

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
Powdered sugar (optional, for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square cake pan.

Heat the butter and brown sugar together in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until melted and bubbly. Remove from the heat, stir in the applesauce, then whisk in the eggs until well-blended.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the saucepan and whisk just until blended. Stir in the raisins. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until the top springs back when touched lightly and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan.

Sift powdered sugar over the top if you like, cut into squares or wedges and serve.

Makes 6 servings
Source: The New England Cookbook by Brooke Dojny