My mother's recipe, and one she made often as I was growing up.
2-1/2 cups sifted, unbleached flour 2 cups sugar 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda 1-1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground cloves 1/2 tsp. allspice
Sift above ingredients together in bowl.
Add: 1/2 cup softened butter 1/2 cup water 1-1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce Beat 2 minutes.
Add: 2 eggs Beat 2 more minutes>
Fold in:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1 cup raisins
Bake 45-50 min. in a greased & floured rectangular pan (13x9").
My mother adapted this recipe by reducing the sugar and replacing some of the flour with wheat germ and whole wheat flour - not more than half. She said you can be creative with it! You may want to top it with a glaze (confectioner's sugar, melted butter, and vanilla).
