My late husband’s (Mark 1951-2018) favorite birthday cake recipe was originally brought to the U.S. from European immigrants who settled in Minnesota and was a common household dessert in Minnesota during the 1800s.
He picked it up at a Sear’s Diamond Jubilee celebration in Waco, Texas at the age of 9, gave it to his mother, and it instantly became his life long favorite and he insisted upon it for every birthday.
The version he picked up had been adapted by General Mills for modern kitchens and was adopted as the official Sear’s 75th. Diamond Jubilee celebration cake.
It has also had more tweaks over the years since he first obtained it — first by his mother and then himself — such as replacing butter with Crisco (hydrogenated vegetable oil), and then later replacing the Crisco with vegetable oil, as well as switching from all purpose flour to cake flour — plus the addition of baking powder for a much lighter, fluffier, less dense cake.
Traditionally frosted with a butter cream frosting, he preferred it with no frosting at all and liked to add raisins and walnuts whereas our son prefers it with raisins and pecans and an orange glaze.
There were some heart healthier and more diabetic friendly substitutes made also over the years.
Additionally, multiple steps are no longer required, such as sifting the dry ingredients together multiple times, so it is much more user friendly.
If adding raisins, most will find blanching them first is preferable but it is not absolutely required. It makes them much softer and less chewy. (This is also a good way to resurrect any raisins that may have been in the cupboard awhile and have become too hard due to excessive dehydration and/or anytime before using in cookies or other baked goods).
To Blanch: Place the raisins in a sauce pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil then remove from heat. Allow to sit for five minutes then drain well.
Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Grease and flour (using cake flour) one 13 x 9 or two 8 (or 9) inch round cake pans.
Place the ingredients — except the raisins and nuts — into a mixing bowl or a stand mixer bowl. You may whisk by hand, beat with an electric hand mixer, or blend in a stand mixer until well combined and smooth.
Stir or fold the raisins and nuts in using a spoon.
Pour into prepared cake pan(s) and bake at 350 F degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until center springs back when lightly pressed and it has begun to pull away from the sides of pan — or when toothpick/knife inserted into center comes back clean.
Spiced Applesauce Cake
"Markie got this for me at Sear's celebration (he was about 9) and it became the boy's favorite birthday cake". --Catherine
It has had a few adaptations and tweaks over the years since then however.
Adaptations originated from the "Sear's Diamond Jubilee Applesauce Cake"
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups cake flour
- 2 cups sugar OR Splenda (sucralose)
- 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt OR No.Salt (a potassium chloride salt substitute) -- optional
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 cup cannola oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1-1/2 cups (unsweetened) applesauce
- 2 large whole eggs OR 1/2 cup egg whites
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- pecan or walnut halves as topping, optional
- 1 cup raisins, blanched*
* To blanch raisins place in small pot and cover with water. Bring to strong boil then remove from heat. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Drain well.
Note: No.Salt is a salt substitute made of potassium chloride. Check with doctor before using if taking potassium sparing medications, hyperkalemic, have renal/kidney disease, or on potassium restrictions.
It is okay to skip the salt
Instructions
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Blanch raisins and allow to drain in colander.
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Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease and flour (using cake flour) one 13 x 9 or two round (8 or 9 inch) cake pans.
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Whisk, beat, or blend all ingredients (except raisins and nuts) until well combined and smooth.
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Stir/Fold in raisins and nuts with a spoon.
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Pour into prepared 13 x 9 pan or pour equal portions into two prepared round cake pans of either 8 or 9 inch size. Decorate top with pecan or walnut halves.
Note: If intend to turn out 13 x 9 cake onto cake board there is no need to decorate with nuts unless you feel that you can safely flip it afterwards.
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Bake in 350 degree oven 30 to 40 minutes until center springs back when lightly pressed and has begun to pull away from sides of pan or when toothpick/knife inserted into center comes back clean.
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Cool in round pans place on racks for ten minutes before removing cakes, then continue cooling cakes on racks. May leave in 13 x 9 cake pan if plan to serve directly from pan and allow to cool completely. If not, cool in 13 x 9 pan for ten minutes elevated on rack, then turn out onto cake board to finish cooling.
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