Applesauce-Raisin Cake With Caramel Icing

• Cake:
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cooking spray
• Icing:
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350u0b0.
2. To prepare cake, beat the first 3 ingredients with a mixer at low speed until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add applesauce; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt), stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to applesauce mixture; beat just until moist. Stir in raisins, pecans, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
3. Spoon the batter into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350u0b0 for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on rack.
4. To prepare icing, combine 1 cup brown sugar, milk, butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer until slightly thick (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add the powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth and slightly warm. Cool 5 minutes (icing will thicken as it cools).
5. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; working quickly, spread with 1/3 cup icing, and top with remaining layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

sugar, brown sugar, vegetable shortening, unsweetened applesauce, allpurpose, unsweetened cocoa, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, raisins, pecans, vanilla, cooking spray, icing, brown sugar, milk, butter, salt, powdered sugar, vanilla

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/applesauce-raisin-cake-with-caramel-icing (may not work)