June 6: Applesauce Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Applesauce Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
Base:
1 1/4 cups (5.6 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup shortening or vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons lightly beaten egg
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/3 cup raisins (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting:
3 tablespoons (1.5 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line a 9-inch square metal pan with nonstick foil, or line it with regular foil and spray the foil with flour-added baking spray.
2. Make the base: Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the shortening and mash it around so that it coats the flour. Add the water, applesauce, and egg and beat until well mixed. Stir in the walnuts and raisins, if using.
3. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan.
4. Make the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese together in a medium bowl until creamy. Beat in the vanilla and confectioners' sugar until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Spread over the cooled bars. When ready to serve, lift from the pan, set on a cutting board, and cut into 16 bars.

Base ingredients

Addition of the vegetable oil

Addition of the egg, water, and applesauce

Addition of the walnuts

Before the oven

After the oven

Frosting ingredients

Addition of the vanilla and confectioners' sugar

Look how nice that covered the cake!

Thoughts: I decided not to use raisins just because I didn't have any and was too lazy to go to the store. To avoid some of the issues that I have been having in past weeks, I decided to double the frosting part. This worked out wonderfully because I had enough to cover the cake adequately and there weren't that much leftover. The cake turned out very moist and the frosting was a success! It had a taste most similar to a spice cake or carrot cake.