Applesauce Walnut Raisin Cake for #BundtBakers

One leaf has to start it all. It turns from green to brown then breaks away from the tree. Soon others join in the annual drop and the ground is covered with them. It signifies the beginning of a new season. Sadly summer is ending and autumn brings its own colors to the landscape. Farmers markets change their offerings to apples, pears, winter squash and more. Baking changes along with it. Warm spices reign as the temperature outside cools down. To celebrate autumn’s harvest I baked an Applesauce Walnut Raisin Cake.

Mace is one of those warm fall spices. However I do not see it used often these days and I wonder why. Perhaps it is because of the name being associated with tear gas or pepper spray. It is actually the ground up aril (net-like sheath) that covers nutmeg. It has an orange-brown color and a heavenly aroma. There is nothing peppery about it and it will not make your eyes tear and burn.

Heavenly aroma also describes this cake. It is one of those you would wish the scent could be bottled. I could not help but smile when it was baking. I would walk in the kitchen and take deep breaths to try and get in as much as I could. The cake’s aroma is equally matched by its taste. The texture is moist with a delicate crumb combined with chewy raisins and crunchy walnuts. Cinnamon and allspice go along with mace to make a flavor combination that enhances apple and makes this cake fitting for autumn.

What do you crave when autumn arrives? Take a look at this list of bundt cake recipes celebrating the harvest of the season. There are so many wonderful choices being shared by Bundt Bakers. Thanks to Tux of Brooklyn Homemaker for hosting this month. For other fall recipes, take a look at Apple Walnut Cream Cheese Cookies and Black Rice with Butternut Squash.

• Applesauce Cranberry Bundt Cake by Lauren at Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Applesauce Spice Bundt Cake by Carola at En la Cocina de Caro
• Applesauce Walnut Raisin Cake by Renee at Magnolia Days
• Carrot Bundt Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting by Cassie at Cassie’s Kitchen
• Chocolate Caramel Apple Bundt Cake by Teri at The Freshman Cook
• Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake by Terri at Love and Confections
• Chocolate Zucchini Bundt by Tara at Noshing with the Nolands
• Fig and Caramelized Walnuts Bundt Cake by Bea and Mara at I Love Bundt Cakes
• Harvest Bundt Cake by Tammy at Living the Gourmet
• Mini Apple Cobbler Bundt Cakes with Cinnamon Glaze from Lauren at From Gate to Plate
• Pumpkin and Apple Bundt Cake by Kathya at Basic N Delicious
• Pumpkin and Chocolate Bundt Cake by Aisha at La Cocina de Aisha
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake and Pomegranate Syrup by Patricia at Patty’s Cake
• Pumpkin Espresso Bundt by Kelly at Passion Kneaded
• Sherried Pumpkin Bundtlettes by Laura at The Spiced Life
• Slow Cooker Kushaw Bundt Cake by Margaret at Tea and Scones
• Spiced Harvest Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze by Tux at Brooklyn Homemaker
• Spiced Pumpkin Bundt Cake by Kaylin at Keep it Simple, Sweetie
• Sweet Potato Brioche by Jane at Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Sweet Potato Pecan Spice Cake with Toasted Pecan Glaze by Stacy at Food Lust People Love

Print

Applesauce Walnut Raisin Cake

A recipe for homemade Applesauce Walnut Raisin Cake from scratch. It is a moist cake flavored with warm spices of cinnamon, allspice, and mace.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 12 to 16 servings

Author Renee

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• Confectioners sugar optional garnish

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10- or 12-cup bundt pan
2. Combine walnut and raisins in a small bowl.
3. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, mace, and salt in a separate bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the flour mixture to the walnuts and raisins and stir to combine.
4. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat to combine.
5. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with applesauce beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in walnuts and raisins.
6. Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread evenly in the pan.
7. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan by inverting it onto a wire rack. Cool cake completely.
9. Dust cake with confectioners sugar if desired.

Recipe Notes

A recipe for homemade Applesauce Walnut Raisin Cake from scratch. It is a moist cake flavored with warm spices of cinnamon, allspice, and mace.

Recipe adapted from one in The Country Cooking Recipe Collection Prize-Winning Apples booklet published in 1994 (no longer in print).

What is Bundt Bakers? It’s a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Bundt Bakers Pinterest board for incredible bundt cake recipes and inspiration. Stacy of Food Lust People Love heads up our group and has a #BundtBakers page where you can find information and links to the recipes for each month.

How is the monthly theme determined? We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

Would you like to join in the fun? If you are a food blogger, send an email with your blog name and url to Stacy at [email protected].