Hurry-Up Cake

Sometimes I need a recipe for a spur-of-the-moment cake, one that can be easily made on short notice and that requires little or no shopping.

For those occasions I turn not to the grand creations from cooking schools in France, but rather to a traditional American cake that I learned from my mother--Chocolate-Applesauce Cake. When I was growing up, it was one of my favorite birthday cakes and holiday desserts.

The cake is rich-tasting, dark, delicious and economical. When you take a bite, you would never suspect that it is within many dietary guidelines: It is enriched with vegetable oil instead of butter, is flavored with cocoa instead of chocolate, has a low proportion of eggs and contains no dairy products. The applesauce helps keep the cake moist but you can’t taste it.

When I serve Chocolate-Applesauce Cake, people often ask for the recipe, unaware that it is easy to prepare. They are glad to hear that the cake is made from a one-bowl batter and that there’s no need to separate the eggs.

But this cake doesn’t have to be made at the last-minute cake; it keeps for three or four days at room temperature. If you frost the cake, store it in the refrigerator, but for best flavor, bring it back to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE-APPLESAUCE CAKE

1/2 cup oil

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

Easy Chocolate Frosting, optional

Grease and flour 8- or 9-inch square baking pan.

Beat oil, sugar and egg in large mixing bowl until pale in color and fluffy. Sift flour with cocoa, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir flour mixture alternately with applesauce into egg mixture and mix well.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees until cake tester inserted in cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes for 9-inch pan or about 35 minutes for 8-inch pan. Turn cake out onto wire rack or leave in pan. Cool completely. Spread top with Easy Chocolate Frosting. Serve at room temperature. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Easy Chocolate Frosting

3 ounces semisweet chocolate

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, cut into 4 pieces, room temperature

1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds or macadamia nuts

Melt chocolate in double boiler or medium saucepan set over simmering water over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in margarine until melted. Cool about 2 minutes or until thick enough to spread.

Spread frosting over top of cake. Sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until set. Makes enough for top of 1 (8- or 9-inch) square cake.