Applesauce

Spicy Applesauce Cake

6:19 AM

 


Spicy Applesauce Cake


2 cups applesauce

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup shortening

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Topping:

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons brown sugar


In a large bowl, beat the applesauce, sugar, shortening and eggs. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves; gradually beat into applesauce mixture until blended. Stir in the raisins, chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour into a greased 13 x 9 baking pan. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.


Bread Pudding

Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding)

9:00 AM



Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding)

4 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 Piloncillo Cones (Piloncillo is Mexican brown sugar. If unable to find you can substitute 1 cup of dark brown sugar plus two teaspoons molasses for each cone)
4 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
4 Bolillo rolls or French bread rolls or baguette, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces)
4 tbsp. Melted butter 
3 cups shredded cheese (Longhorn Cheddar, or Colby)
1 cup raisins 
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (walnuts, pecans, peanuts, almonds) Mari even suggested shredded coconut

Combine water, piloncillo, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, creating a syrup. Simmer syrup uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep, covered for 2 hours. Pour through a strainer and discard cinnamon sticks and cloves. Set syrup aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread melted butter on both sides of sliced bread. Layer on a baking sheet and bake for 3 minutes on each side, until lightly toasted and dry. Remove and cool. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray, and add a bit of syrup to bottom of dish. Layer ingredients in the following order: a third of the toasted bread, a third of the raisins, a third of the cheese, a third of the nuts, followed by 1½ cups syrup. Repeat layers. Cover the dish with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with nonstick spray and bake 15 minutes, uncover and bake about 10 to 15 minutes more.