Mary Ellen's Gumdrop Cake

Submitted by Lorraine of AZ

"This fun cake has been in Mary Ellen's family for many years. The recipe makes a nice moist cake dotted with gumdrops. How appropriate for Easter can you get? I've also made it for Christmas, and it's nice to have on hand anytime kids are around!"

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 25mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 16-18

ingredients

• 2 lbs gumdrops, fruit-flavored not licorice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 4 cups flour, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon hot water
• 1 1⁄2 cups applesauce (sweetened or unsweetened)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb raisins
• 1 1⁄2 cups nuts, chopped

directions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Grease a Bundt or angel food cake pan and line with 2 layers of waxed paper. If gumdrops are large, cut into pieces. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Add applesauce, then eggs and baking soda.
3. Sift 2 cups of the flour with the seasonings. Add to creamed mixture and mix. Sift the other 2 cups of flour over the raisins, gumdrops and nuts. Mix ell so they do not stick together -- especially important if the gumdrops were cut up. Add to creamed mixture. Mix well.
4. Pour batter into prepared Bundt or angel food cake pan. Set a cake pan of water on lowest rack of a preheated oven. Bake cake on middle rack for 2 hours or until it tests done, using a toothpick.