Chocolate Applesauce Cake
1 Cup Margarine -- softened
3 Cups Granulated sugar
4 Eggs -- whipped
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 Teaspoon Almond extract
2 Cups Applesauce -- at room temperature
3 Cups Unbleached flour
3/4 Cup Cocoa powder -- sifted
1 Teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon Baking powder
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
Preheat oven at 325. Place a baking sheet onto middle rack and remove top rack
from oven. Before starting batter, wash 8 (1 pint) wide mouth canning jars with
lids in hot soapy water and let drain, dry, and cool to room temperature.
Generously prepare jars with margarine. In a mixing bowl, combine margarine,
sugar, eggs, vanilla, almond extract, and applesauce. In another mixing bowl,
combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix wet
ingredients with dry ingredients just until moistened. Spoon 1 level cupful of
batter into each jar. Carefully wipe rims clean, then place jars on baking sheet
(or they'll tip over) in the center of oven. Bake 40 minutes. Keep lids in hot
water until they're used. When cakes are done, remove jars which are HOT from
oven one at a time. If rims need cleaning, use moistened paper towel. Carefully
put lids and rings in place, then screw tops on tightly shut. Place jars on a
wire rack; they will seal as they cool. Once jars are cool, decorate with round
pieces of cloth and then glue on flowers, ribbons, etc. on lid, ring and side of
jar. Unscrew the ring (the lid should be sealed by now) and place a few cotton
balls on top of the lid (makes it poofy on top), then a piece of cloth (about
3" larger than the lid) on top and screw the ring back on. Decorate as
desired.