Chocolate Applesauce Rum Cake

This recipe uses no eggs.

1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups applesauce
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup dark rum

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

In a bowl, cream the butter or margarine with the sugar. Beat in the milk, applesauce and 2 tablespoons of rum.

In another bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, spices and salt. Beat into the creamed mixture and then stir in the raisins and pecans.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake the cake for 45 minutes or until it tests done with a wooden pick.

Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, sprinkle it with the remaining 1/4 cup rum. Let cool on a rack. This cake improves if allowed to sit for a day or so before eating.