Applesauce spice cake

I adapted this recipe several years ago from one shown on the back of a bag of C&H dark brown sugar. It's a very moist cake, and particularly tasty if you use homemade apple sauce.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raisins (or dried cranberries)
• 1/2 cup boiling spiced cider
• 2-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)
• 2 tsps baking soda
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup canola or light olive oil
• 1-1/2 cups homemade applesauce
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 13x9. (I used a 9x5 loaf pan.)

2. Simmer a cup of spiced apple cider in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is reduced by half. Pour over raisins in a small bowl.

3. Combine flour and baking soda; mix well.

4. In large mixing bowl, combine sugar with spices, salt, eggs, oil, and applesauce, in that order. If using chunky applesauce, pulse first in a food processor.

5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir until just smooth.

6. Blend in raisin/cider mixture.

7. Fold in walnuts.

8. Pour batter into pan and bake for about 45-60 minutes (depending on type of pan used), or until tester comes out clean.