Sarah Bun’s Apple Sauce Nut Cake

This is a four-generation recipe. My Great-Great Aunt Sarah Bun (what a name for a talented baker) gave it to my Grandmother, Effie May McCallister, who handed it to my mother, Helen Palanci, who put it in her recipe box willed to me.  I recently found this recipe on a piece of paper hand transcribed by my father, Tony Palanci, who put it in a envelop and stuck it in the back of the box.  He wrote on the outside of the envelop in bold, black ink:

FAMILY RECIPE FOR APPLE SAUCE CAKE.  PLZ: KEEP IT A FAMILY SECRET, S.V.P.

I don’t think my father would mind if I shared it with you on my TarteTatinTales blog. Let me know if you enjoyed it as much as my family does.

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

3 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup vegetable shortening

2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

3 cups apple sauce (I made mine from scratch, but it is not necessary!)

1 cup raisins

1 cup nuts, walnuts, or pecans), chopped

3 Tablespoons flour (for dusting)

Cooking instructions:

Preheat oven to 350⁰ F

Prepare a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.  Butter inside thoroughly and then lightly dust with flour.  Shake out excess flour. I also line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

Have all ingredients at room temperature before starting

1.      Sift all dry ingredients before measuring. 

2.      Add dry ingredients in a large bowl, mix thoroughly and set aside.

3.      Put vegetable shortening and sugar in another large bowl (or KitchenAid) and cream together.

4.      Beat in eggs, one at a time.

5.      Add apple sauce and mix thoroughly.

6.      Add dry ingredients, in three parts, and stir after each addition until smooth.

7.      Put raisins and nuts in a small bowl, dust with flour and add to the mixture.

8.      Pour batter into a loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Serves: 12 generously