You need just one bowl and one pan while preparing this quick and delicious spice cake with applesauce and pecans.
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups white sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ cup butter
½ cup buttermilk
1 ½ cups applesauce
2 eggs
¾ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup butter
1 cup chopped pecans
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Sift flour, white sugar, soda, salt, baking powder, and spices into a large mixing bowl. Mix in 1/2 cup butter or margarine, buttermilk, and applesauce. Beat for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed. Beat in eggs. Fold in 3/4 cup chopped nuts. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes.
Mix confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth. Melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, and add 1 cup chopped pecans. Keep stirring until browned. Stir cooled pecans into cream cheese mixture. Frost the cooled cake.