Cake Like Brownies

My mother went through a faze when I was growing up. Everything had to be healthy. Even the baked goods.

She couldn’t cook to save her life, but she was okay at baking. So she started making everything with applesauce instead of sugar. It wasn’t a great time in our household. I don’t think she had recipes that called for applesauce, she would just substitute it. And substitute it badly.

I make my own applesauce, so I know it has very little sugar. The applesauce you buy in the store is loaded with sugar. So her thought of making things healthier wasn’t very sound.

This recipe is definitely not substituting applesauce for sugar! And you can tell. They are not diet brownies.

The final result was a very thick but airy cake like brownie. And it has a ton of chocolate flavor as well.

The brownies are so soft, in fact, they are difficult to cut. Little bits want to fall off.

That doesn’t matter when you go to eat them of course! They were a big hit!

APPLESAUCE BROWNIES

1/2 Cup Shortening

2 Ounces Unsweetened Chocolate

1 Cup Sugar

2 Eggs, beaten

1/2 Cup Applesauce

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 Cup All Purpose Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt shortening and chocolate over hot water. Blend in sugar, eggs, applesauce and vanilla. Stir dry ingredients together and blend into shortening mixture. Spread in a greased and floured 9 inch square pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. While hot, cut into 2 1/4 x 1 1/2 inch bars.