I first heard about this cake when the pilot movie THE HOMECOMING aired. And I remember Grandma Walton, played by Ellen Corby, said it was too sweet for her taste. But can a good cake be TOO sweet?
From that movie debut onward, the only time cake was ever mentioned in The Waltons was always in conjunction with Olivia's Applesauce cake.
Today I watch the show in reruns. I miss those simple, family-friendly shows where tradition counted, and family was everything. Commentary: if the entertainment industry reclaimed its more innocent roots, they would find that it would have a bigger following. In the meantime, watching the reruns will have to do. If you would like to see the movie that started it all, you can see it on YouTube for free.
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups applesauce
- 2 cups light raisins
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 1/2 cups flour (sifted)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons cloves
- 2 teaspoons nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- Sift together: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Take 1/2 cup of the flour mixture and stir it into the nuts and raisins. Set both aside.
- Cream the butter until it is soft and fluffy.
- Add sugar a little at a time until the mixture is smooth.
- Beat in eggs vigorously.
- Alternately stir in the flour mixture and applesauce.
- When all is mixed together, add the nuts and raisins, and mix well.
- Pour batter into a well-greased cake mold.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for one hour.
- Cool for ten minutes, then turn out on a cake rack.
- Frost with Whiskey Frosting when the cake is cool.
Jane's Whiskey Frosting
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 tablespoon cream
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- Cream butter, add sugar and salt, then cream and whiskey.
- Whip until smooth.
- Frost cake.
Decorate with a sprig of holly for Christmas!