Harvard Beet Spice Cake

Makes 8 to 10 servings

16-oz. jar Harvard beets

1/2 c. butter, softened

1-1/4 c. sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2-1/4 c. all-purpose flour

4 t. baking soda

1-1/2 t. allspice

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. ground cloves

1 c. chopped walnuts

Garnish: powdered sugar

Process beets in a blender until smooth; set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat well and set aside. Sift together flour, baking soda and spices. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with puréed beets, mixing well after each addition. Fold in walnuts. Turn batter into a greased and lightly floured Bundt® pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes, or until cake tests done. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Turn cake out of pan onto a cake plate. Sift powdered sugar over cake.

Lighten up baked goods with ease! Applesauce can be used as a fat-free substitute for oil when baking cakes, muffins and other moist, cake-like goodies. Just substitute for some or all of the oil in the recipe.