Spiced Chocolate Applesauce Cake

This is a lovely cake, not too sweet but moist and chocolatey. The combination of cinnamon and chocolate is particularly popular in Mexican cooking, but it makes a very interesting cake as well.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups flour, unbleached, sifted
• 1⁄2 cup cocoa powder
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄2 cups applesauce
• 1  cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F Line 2 nine-inch round cake pans with parchment paper, and grease the sides of the pans.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.
3. Beat together the oil and sugar in a mixing bowl.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Blend in the vanilla and the applesauce.
6. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.
8. Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake tests done.
9. Cool 10 minutes in pan on rack.
10. Remove from the pans; cool on rack. Ice with frosting as desired.