Applesauce Walnut Layer Cake

The cake and the frosting are very easy to make. It's fairly quick since you use Duncan Hines box cake, and we add a few of our own touches to it which our family loves. It's a good cake which is adaptable to almost any family get together or for big holiday meals.

Ingredients:

• 1 package Duncan Hines "Moist Deluxe" Butter Recipe Golden Cake Mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups applesauce
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 10-12 Tbsp. (or more) apple jelly (warmed enough to liquefy it)

Spicy Walnut Penuche Frosting

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. apple pie spice
• 3 cups cups sifted confectioners sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups finely chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour 3-8 inch cake pans.

Combine cake mix, eggs, applesauce, melted butter, and cinnamon in large bowl. Beat at low speed with electric mixer until moistened. Beat at medium speed for 4 minutes. Stir in walnuts. Pour into pans.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 12 minutes.

Invert layers onto wire racks. Allow to cool slightly, then "paint" two layers with melted apple jelly. Allow to cool completely.

Place one layer with apple jelly on plate, jelly side up. Add another coat of melted apple jelly. Place 2nd layer on top, jelly side up, and add another coat of melted apple jelly. Place 3rd cake layer on top and frost the entire cake with the Spicy Walnut Penuche Frosting.

Frosting Directions:

Melt butter in medium saucepan; add brown sugar, and apple pie spice.

Cook over low heat until sugar is completely melted. Stir constantly. It has a wonderful yummy aroma. Slowly add heavy cream or half and half and bring just to the boiling point while stirring constantly. Do not boil.

Remove from heat and allow to cool enough to add the confectioner's sugar without it melting. Gradually add confectioners sugar, then add vanilla. Add 1 3/4 cups of the finely chopped walnuts to frosting. Beat until thick enough to spread. If frosting becomes too stiff, add a little melted apple jelly. (maybe just a tablespoonful at the time)

This recipe makes enough frosting to lavishly frost sides and top of a 3 layer cake. Make pretty swirls on top of cake and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of finely chopped walnuts.

Source: Another one of my Mother's specialties. Duncan Hines was the only boxed cake mix she would use for years. It took her a long time to cook with anything that came "in a box". The recipe probably came from one of the Duncan Hines boxes. This cake and her Pineapple Up-side-Down Cake were family favorites. She had 2 tall glass cake stands with the glass covers. They sat on either end of the large kitchen table and both always had nice cakes in them.

She did a lot of babysitting, and when the parents came to drop off or pick up their children, the first thing they'd do was get a cup of coffee and a slice of cake. Everyone called her Granny. She "belonged" to many people.

By Julia from Boca Raton, FL