Chocolate Applesauce Layer Cake

By RoketJSquerl

Talk about moist! Applesauce may not be a typical ingredient in chocolate cake, but it should be. The applesauce keeps the cake moist for days, and also lightens the sweetness of the chocolate cake. Topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting, a slice of this cake screams for a glass of cold milk.

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup + 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup regular cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 1/3 cups unsweetened applesauce
• Chocolate Frosting:
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup regular cocoa powder (not Dutch process), sifted
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 2/3 cup sour cream (not low-fat)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 2. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. 3. With electric beaters, blend oil, 1 cup sugar, vanilla and egg yolks on medium speed. In a separate bowl and with clean beaters, whip egg whites until foamy. Slowly add remaining ¾ cup sugar and continue whipping until whites hold a soft peak (whites curl when beaters are lifted), and set aside. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and add to vegetable oil mixture alternately with applesauce on low speed, starting and finishing with dry ingredients. Fold in whipped whites and divide evenly between prepared pans, spreading to level. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool completely in the pans. 4. To make chocolate frosting, melt butter and chocolate in microwave on medium, stirring every 10 seconds until smooth. Whisk in cocoa powder and vanilla. With electric beaters, incorporate 1 cup of icing sugar, then add sour cream. Beat in remaining 1 cup icing sugar and increase speed, beating until frosting is a spreadable consistency. 5. To assemble, place 1 cake layer on a plate and slice in half horizontally. Spread a thin layer of frosting over top of cake and then top with second half. Spread a thin layer of frosting over top. Repeat with second cake layer, and spread remaining frosting over top, then sides of cake. Chill until ready to serve.