A harvest of apples puts a smile on Ruth Weber’s face.

Ruth Weber isn’t much on birthday cake. “I would rather eat an apple dessert anytime,” she writes from Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

Ruth makes this yummy Applesauce Cake and other apple treats using the fruit from trees in her yard. Every year she invites neighbors and friends over to collect the apples when they are ripe and plentiful.

“I have nine apple trees and this year we picked over six bushels. All the neighbors went home with bags of apples,” she reports.

“I make applesauce every fall and freeze it in containers so I’ll have it all year long. I use it to make Applesauce Cake, too. I follow my mother’s way of making the applesauce—cutting the apples in quarters, leaving the peel on then cooking them in a big kettle. When the apples are soft, I put them through a food mill.

“Mom was a good cook,” Ruth remembers. “Saturday was always baking day—she made bread, rolls, cookies, coffee cakes, cream puffs. Sunday was visiting day with all the friends and relatives after church. And there was always a big Sunday dinner, often with Applesauce Cake for dessert.”

Applesauce Cake

While you can certainly use store-bought applesauce for this recipe, we’ve included Ruth’s mother’s homemade applesauce recipe which makes this cake even more delicious.

• 11/2 Cups sugar
• 1/2 Cup shortening or margarine
• 11/2 Cups applesauce
• 3 Cups flour
• 1 tsp. CINNAMON
• 1/4 tsp. GROUND CLOVES
• 1/2 tsp. GROUND NUTMEG
• 3 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 Cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375°. Beat together the sugar and shortening until fluffy. Add the applesauce and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, SPICES and baking soda. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold in the raisins. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 375° for 45 minutes.

Nutritional Information: Serving Size 1 piece (37g); Calories 150; Calories from fat 40; Total fat 4.5g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 160mg; Carbohydrate 27g; Dietary Fiber <1g.

Homemade Applesauce

• 3 lbs. apples
• 1/4-1/2 Cup water
• 1-3 TB. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. CINNAMON

Quarter the apples, leaving the peel on and the core in. Place them in a large heavy kettle with just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot. Juicy apples need less water. Cook the apples over medium heat until soft, watching so that they do not burn, about 20 minutes. If the apples seem dry while cooking, add a bit more water. Put the cooked apples through a food mill or use a very fine colander. Taste the applesauce and add sugar and CINNAMON to taste. This sauce freezes well.

Nutritional Information: Serving Size 1 cup (358g); Calories 190; Calories from fat 5; Total fat 0.5g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 0mg; Carbohydrate 50g; Dietary Fiber 8g.