Applesauce Spice Cake

Why I Love This Recipe
Ingredients You'll Need
2 ½ cups plain flour
1 cups sugar
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
½ cup vegetable shortening such as Crisco
½ cup water
2 large eggs, beaten
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 cup raisins
FOR THE ICING:
¾ cup of softened butter
5 cups icing sugar, sifted
¼ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon essence
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 350*F.
Lightly grease and flour a 9 by 15 inch baking pan and set aside.
Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder, salt, spices and sugar into a large bowl.
Drop in the shortening, applesauce, water and eggs.
Beat it all together with an electric mixer until it is all smooth, beating well.
Fold in the sultanas and walnuts.
Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake for approximately 34 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned and the top springs back when lightly touched.
Alternately you may use a toothpick to see if it is done, which when inserted will come out clean.
Remove from the oven and place in the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
Once completely cool make the frosting.
Beat the butter until light and fluffy and then beat in the remaining ingredients, beating until smooth and fluffy.
Spread evenly across the top of the cake. (leave the cake in the pan and serve from there)
If you want you can sprinkle more toasted walnuts over the top of the finished cake.