orange Applesauce Date Cake

This cake is moist and delicious—and even better the next day. The applesauce replaces both eggs and fat.

Makes 9 servings
1 cup smooth unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup oat flour (oatmeal ground in a dry blender or electric coffee mill) or barley flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (not regular whole-wheat flour)
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped pitted dates

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place applesauce, lemon juice, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and warm slowly. Add orange peel.

Mix pastry flour, brown sugar, oat or barley flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and allspice in a medium bowl.

Stir baking soda into applesauce mixture (it will foam up). Pour immediately into flour mixture and stir briefly but thoroughly.

Add dates and mix briefly. Scoop the batter into a non-stick 9"×9" cake pan, smooth the top, and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until it tests done with a cake tester. Transfer to a rack and cool completely. cut into squares and serve!