Vintage Recipe: Applesauce Cake with Caramel Frosting

I made this cake last week and it was fantastic! The frosting is what makes it.

From the Sunbeam Mixmaster recipe book from 1957.

Applesauce Cake

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. cocoa

3/4 teasp. salt

1 1/2 teasp. cinnamon

1/4 teasp. cloves

1/2 teasp. nutmeg

1/2 teasp. allspice

1/2 teasp. soda

1 1/2 teasp. double-acting baking powder

1/2 cup soft shortening

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups canned applesauce (I used chunky applesauce)

1 cup raisins, cut up, or I cup snipped dates (I substituted craisins)

3/4 cup chopped walnuts, if desired

Set oven at 350 degrees F, to preheat. Grease, line with waxed paper, or dust with flour, bottom of 13x9x2 pan. Sift together flour, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, soda and baking powder. Add fruit and nuts and toss to coat.

In large bowl of Mixmaster, cream shortening and sugar on No. 7 speed for 2 minutes. Then add eggs, one at a time while beating 2 minutes. Add flour mixture alternately with applesauce while beating on No. 2 speed. Scrape bowl at necessary, beat only until blended, about 4 minutes for adding.

Turn into pan. Bake about 50 minutes or until done. (I checked mine every 20 minutes — it took about 40 minutes.) Cool Frost with caramel or coffee frosting.

Easy Caramel Frosting

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup milk

About 2 cups sifter confectioner's sugar

1 teasp. vanilla

Melt butter in saucepan, stir in brown sugar. Cook and stir over low heat 2 minutes. Add milk, continue stirring until boiling. Remove from heat. Cool to lukewarm. Put into small Mixmaster bowl. Add sugar and vanilla while beating on No. 2 speed. Then beat on No. 11 speed until spreading consistency, about 2 minutes. Adjust to spreading consistency with a few drops of hot water or more sugar as needed (mine did not need to be adjusted). Spread on cake at once. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired.

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