Five-Spice Tea Cake

From "Butter Sugar Flour Eggs" by Gale Gand. This cake can also be baked in a small Bundt pan.

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄2 cup  jasmine tea, cooled and very strong
• 1  cup applesauce
• 2  eggs
• 1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Butter a 6-cup loaf pan and line it with waxed or parchment paper.
3. Sift together the baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour, five-spice mixture, and ginger.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together the tea and applesauce.
5. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the eggs and sugar until very light and fluffy.
6. With the mixer running at medium speed, drizzle in the oil and mix.
7. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and 1/3 of the tea-applesauce mixture and mix.
8. Repeat twice more, using up all of the ingredients.
9. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until firm to the touch and split on the top, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 70 to 90 minutes.
10. Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool 30 minutes, then turn out onto the rack, peel off the paper, and let cool.