Baked Bean Cake or Muffins

An unusual "veggie cake" made with baked beans! I find this similar to a carrot cake, it is easy to make and very tasty. Adapted from a recipe found in Saltscapes magazine, chef Marie Nightingale.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 12-15
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• 1  cup raisins
• 1  cup boiling water
• 1 (19 ounce) can  baked beans in tomato sauce
• 3  eggs
• 1  cup canola oil (I used 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce)
• 1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
• 3  cups flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup pecans, chopped
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• Coconut Icing

• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  whipping cream
• 1⁄3 cup butter
• 1  cup  shredded coconut
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions

1. Cake:
2. Place raisins in a bowl and pour boiling water over them, set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, mash beans with a fork.
4. Add eggs, oil and sugar, beat well.
5. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
6. (I sometimes add a 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves to spice it up a little!).
7. Stir into bean mixture.
8. Drain raisins and reserve liquid.
9. Add raisins, nuts and vanilla to batter.
10. If batter is too thick, add a little of the raisin water, stirring to combine.
11. Pour mixture into a greased 13" x 9" baking pan.
12. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately an hour or until tester inserted in centre comes out clean.
13. Remove from oven and let cool in pan on rack.
14. Icing:
15. Combine sugar and cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
16. Bring to a boil, cook for 2 minutes.
17. Add butter, remove from heat and stir in nuts, coconut and vanilla.
18. Pour evenly over the cake, allow to cool before cutting.
19. Note: edited to reduce 1 cup oil to 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup applesauce and reduced the sugar from 2 to 1 1/2 cups with good results. This recipe will makes 24 large muffins, baking time is 30 minutes.
20. Enjoy!