Squash Spice Cake

I have this recipe twice. Apparently someone else thought it was good. I have a little booklet called "How to eat all the squash you'll grow with just one packet of Daytona. Hybrid Summer Crookneck Squash". This recipe came from it and was also handwritten by Mom on a sheet of notebook paper. I was really excited to make all the recipes in the little booklet, but we haven't gotten a single squash from our one squash plant. All the little squashes would wither away once they got about an inch and a half long. We finally have one that made it past that size, but now the plant, along with the winter squash plants, is getting powdery mildew. What a bummer.

Brian's parent shared some yellow squash with us. In an attempt to use it before we went to the family reunion I made this cake, then froze it. It is delicious.

Squash Spice Cake

1/2 c butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 egg
2 c grated summer squash (about 3/4 lb.)
1/2 c applesauce
1/4 c orange juice
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1/2 c chopped raisins
Cream cheese frosting

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg. squash, applesauce and orange juice. Beat well. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Gradually add to squash mixture,blending well. Stir in walnuts and raisins. Pour into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 45 minutes. Cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting or sprinkle with sifted confectioners' sugar.

I loved this cake. It has a similar taste to carrot cake. I omitted the raisins and nuts, though I'm sure they would be good in it. I didn't have orange juice, but I did have about 1/4 c mandarin oranges sitting in the fridge, so they got blended in. I frosted it with a whipped cream cream cheese frosting, and it went well with the cake. Janet and Jacob visited while this cake was still around, and they both liked it, too. This is a winner.