Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 ¾ cups brown sugar
½ cup oil
1½ cups soused applesauce (or any kind you like)
1 apple, peeled and cut into ½" pieces
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
½ TBSP lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
¾ cup walnuts, chopped
¾ cup dried cranberries, dried orange cranberries or golden raisins.
Confectioners sugar for sprinkling on top
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan, or two 8x8 square pans with non-stick spray.
Sift dry ingredients into a medium bowl. Add lemon zest and mix well. In a large bowl or mixer, add sugar, oil, and ½ cup applesauce and beat on medium speed until incorporated. With the mixer running, add in eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Add in the dry ingredients and beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth. (Do not over beat) Mix together the remaining 1 cup of applesauce with the chopped apple, then add to the batter and mix on low or by hand until just incorporated. Fold in walnuts and cranberries by hand until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and bake 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester in center come out clean. (Note– if the edges get brown before the middle, cover them with foil.) If you are making this in two pans, the timing will be closer to 35 minutes, and longer if you make in one larger pan.
Cook in pans on rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and enjoy. Calories: 265 per square.
