Honey and Spice Applesauce Cake

(3rd Place Winner in the Apple Dessert Category at the St. Charles Builders Home and Remodeling Show 2013 sponsored by the Suburban Journals)

I look forward to making this cake every year when the weather turns a touch cooler. This is a super moist cake that is low fat and has tons of fiber. But enough about that-it tastes amazing! The glaze just melts into the warm cake and the entire house smells wonderful. Give this one a shot-you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:

Pan:

Cooking spray
1 Tablespoon flour

Cake:

1 large apple, cored and diced (Granny smith or Jonathans are nice)
1 Tablespoon flour

½ cup egg substitute

¼ cup canola oil
3 Tablespoons honey
¼ cup apple cider
1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup wheat germ
¼ cup ground flax seed

Glaze:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 to 2 ½ Tablespoons apple cider

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 by 9 baking pan with cooking spray and add in the 1 Tablespoon of flour and shake to coat all the inside surfaces of the pan. Discard any excess flour.

In a small bowl, toss the apple with the flour and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg substitute, oil, honey, apple cider, applesauce and vanilla. Add inn the brown sugar and mix again. Add in the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix again until thoroughly combined. Add in the wheat germ, flax seed and apples. Mix one more time and then pour into your pan. Bake in the center of the oven about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, stir together the glaze ingredients, adding enough cider to get a drippy (not stiff) glaze. While the cake is still warm, poke holes in it with a skewer and slowly drizzle the glaze over the top. Let cool and cut into squares.