Apple Sauce Cake 1930

By Marcia McCance
@mmccance

This was in my mother's notebook. There are no clues to who gave her this one, but she must have liked it, or it would not be hand written in her notebook.

The only identifying characteristic is that it is dated "1930" -- which would have made her about 20 years old when she acquired it.

There is no mention of icing of any kind, but that is not unusual. Mom was a fan of sweets but she did not care for them to be overly sweet. This is probably more of a coffee cake because of the spices.

I've never tried it personally... that I remember... I am simply posting her recipes.

Rating:

★★★★★ 1 vote

Comments:

14 Comments

Prep:

15 Min

Cook:

1 Hr 30 Min

Method:

Bake

Ingredients

1/2 c: butter
1 c: sugar
1 1/2 c: apple sauce
2 c: raisins
3 c: flour, all purpose
1 Tbsp: vanilla extract
1 Tbsp: lemon juice
1/2 tsp: salt
2 tsp: baking soda
1/2 tsp: cloves, ground
1 tsp: cinnamon, ground
1 tsp: nutmeg, ground
1 c: nuts (walnuts or pecans) chopped

How to Make Apple Sauce Cake 1930

Step-by-Step

1Cream the butter and sugar then add the applesauce and raisins, stir well
2Sprinkle one cup of flour and then add the vanilla and lemon juice, stirring well
3sift dry ingredients including spices with remaining flour and add to mix
4add the nuts and stir hard for 2 minutes (I assume this was by hand -- I am not sure when electric mixers came out, but we did not get one until the late 1950's)
5pour it in a deep pan lined with paper --
Note: A deep pan would make a tall cake (like coffee cake) rather than a long flat one, and I assume that is parchment paper. That is what is written in the recipe but this sounds like it may be a spring form pan or an angel food cake pan.

If I were trying it out I would probably grease and flour a 9x13 pan rather than use the paper which would also probably shorten the baking time - meaning bake until done -- until the center springs back or a straw comes out clean.
6Bake in a slow oven at 250 degrees for 1 and 1/2 hours -- this is, of course, the directions for the tall pan with the paper lining
7Note 2: I find the directions for this cake a little unusual but I have related them as she wrote them. If anyone has more experienced advice, please let me know. Thanks!!