Applesauce Cake With Penuche Frosting

Directions

1. Make the cake:In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter, add in the sugars, a
2. little at a time, and beat the mix till it is light and fluffy. Beat
3. in the applesauce and the egg. Into the butter mix sift together the flour, the baking soda, the cinnamon, the nutmeg, and the cloves, stir the
4. mix till it is combined, and add in the vanilla, the oats, and the coated raisins. Stir the batter till it is combined well, divide it between 2 well-buttered 8-inch round cake pans, and bake the cake layers in the middle of a preheated 350F. oven for 25 to 30 min, or possibly till a tester comes out clean. Turn the layers out onto racks and let them cold completely.
5. Make the frosting:In a heavy saucepan combine the brown sugar, the butter, the lowfat milk, and a healthy pinch of salt, bring the mix to a boil over moderate heat, stirring till the sugar is dissolved, and cook it, undisturbed, till it registers
6. 234F. on a candy thermometer. Let the mix cold to room temperature and whisk it till it is thickened, lightened in color, and beginning to lose its sheen.
7. Working quickly, before the frosting begins to harden and crystallize, frost the top of 1 of the cake layers, top it with the other layer, and frost the top and side of the cake. (If the frosting becomes too hard to spread, reheat it over low heat, stirring, till it is of spreading consistency and let it cold.)
8. Make pink applesauce:In a large heavy saucepan combine the apples, 1/2 c. water, the lemon juice, and the sugar, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer the mix, stirring occasionally, for 25 min, or possibly till the apples are very tender. Force the mix through a food mill fitted with the fine disk into a bowl. Serve the applesauce hot or possibly chilled.
9. Makes about 4 c..