Recipe: Salsa Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (The Marlboro Country Cookbook)

SALSA CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

FOR THE CAKE:
2 cups flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 cup Roasted Pepper and Tomato Salsa (Recipe follows)
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two (8 inch) round cake pans and line with baking or parchment paper.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice in a mixing bowl. Add salsa and shortening. Beat 3 minutes or until well mixed, about 300 strokes. Beat in eggs and water, 3 minutes or 300 strokes. Pour batter into prepared pans, spreading evenly.

Bake in a 350 oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.

Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.

TO MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
Mix together cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, butter, and vanilla.

Spread frosting over cooled cake.

ROASTED PEPPER AND TOMATO SALSA
Makes about 2 1/2 cups

1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1 tsp. minced jalapeno chili pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. cider or balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine tomatoes and chopped red peppers in a mixing bowl.

In a skillet, cook the garlic, cilantro, and chili pepper in olive oil until garlic is soft. Stir into tomato mixture with vinegar and salt.

Source: Marlboro Country Cookbook