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Sunday, September 8, 2013

Sugar-Free Applesauce Cake

With the recent passing of my birthday, you knew a post like this was coming! But unlike last year, I was much better prepared. And I didn't sit around sulking, either. Which apparently I did last year. :)
This cake was AMAZING! If I do say so myself. Nothing beats the apple cake mom made last year, but this was a close second. And even my roommates were going on and on about it so you know it was good. :) I will forever be grateful for my doctor who gave me this cookbook!
 This was also momentous because it was my first time baking in my new apartment. :) It was an adventure indeed, and called for some interesting adjustments to the recipe. But I thought it still turned out very well!
 First of all, "cold-pressed oil" does not actually mean that it's cold. I don't know why but I somehow assumed that it meant it was hard oil, like coconut oil. A word to the wise--if you have to microwave oil to mix it into something, it is going to harden again. Especially if that something is frozen. haha. So I googled it too late and "cold-pressed oil" is actually just basically healthy oil like olive and sunflower. It's a reference to how it was retrieved and from what. 
 We didn't have a cheese-grater (at least not that I knew about yet...) so I got to exercise my little knife and see just how thin it could chop! It actually turned out fine. 
 Also, our only 9x13 pan was being occupied by the red velvet cake my awesome roommates made for me the day before, so I experimented and used a bundt pan. It turned out SO well--much better than I expected. I had to google stuff about length of time to cook it, but I just added on time in 5-minute increments until it looked done. I maybe ended up adding 15-20 min to the time and it might have been a bit long. It came out of the pan like a dream and I just greased it with shortening and dusted with flour. 
 Since I was using a bundt pan, I didn't need so many apples to decorate the top with. I think I only used one, but just do whatever you want. 
 They say to decorate the top in an "attractive pattern", whatever that means... haha. Luckily bundt pans don't leave much for the imagination, because I'm not sure what I would've done in a 9x13. The cake is SUPER good. Being in a bundt it's a bit dense and can tend towards dry if you don't have ice cream, but it's pretty darn good considering how sugar-free it is! 

Applesauce Cake

Desserts to Lower Your Fat Thermostat

1/4 C cold-pressed oil
1 1/2 C frozen unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed
3 lg egg whites
1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
2 2/12 C whole wheat flour
1 C quick-cooking rolled oats
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 C raisins
1 C apple, peeled, cored, and grated (1 large apple)

1. Preheat oven to 375. Spray 9x13 pan, or 2 9" cake pans, or 1 large bundt pan. If you're going to remove the cake from the pan, line with parchment paper (unless it's a bundt).
2. Beat together oil, apple juice concentrate, and egg whites. Add applesauce and vanilla; combine well.
3. Mix together flour, oats, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg; add to the liquid mixture and beat (I beat it quite a bit until it was almost foamy and light. I think this helped the cake not be too dense). Add raisins and grated apple; stir until blended.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 min (add 15-20 min for a bundt, or until top is brown and a knife comes out clean) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Top with apple topping if desired (it is desired).


Apple Topping

1 T margarine or butter
3 C apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-in thick
1/2 C frozen unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Melt margarine in skillet over moderate heat. Add apples and apple juice concentrate; sprinkle cinnamon over top of apples.
2. Cook and stir occasionally until apples are tender and syrupy. Cool.
3. Remove apples only and place them on top of the cake in an attractive pattern. Carefully spoon syrup over the top of the apples, evenly distributing it over the top of the cake.

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