Moist Low-Fat Apple Spice Cake

Sephardi Kitchen's Note:

My boyfriend and I invented this recipe for his mom's birthday and it came out great! It is very moist, with a denser texture than most cakes. Due to the large amount of apples, you can use less fat, and eggs are not needed at all. For best results, use firm, tart apples such as McIntosh, Courtland or Fuji.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1/4 cup margarine, softened
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Icing

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 -2 tablespoon skim milk (amounts may need adjusting)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar with the margarine until smooth. Beat in the buttermilk.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda and powder, and spices. Add the flour mixture and chopped apples/applesauce to the sugar-buttermilk mixture. Wisk vigorously or blend in an electric mixture for several minutes, or until well blended.
4. Coat the inside of a bundt cake pan with butter or margarine, and then cover with a thin layer of flour to prevent sticking. To the bottom and sides of the pan, add the crushed pecans. If desired, additional pecans may be used on the sides of the pan or added to the cake batter.
5. Pour the batter into the greased/floured pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Remove the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Once cool, invert onto a serving dish.
6. To make the icing: Using a fork, combine the powdered sugar and salt in a small bowl with the vanilla. Gradually add the milk while stirring, until it reaches the desired consistency. Drizzle over the top and sides of the cake.