Ingredients

1/2 cup rum

　　3/4 cup raisins

　　2 cups all-purpose flour

　　2 teaspoons cinnamon

　　1 teaspoon ground cloves

　　1 teaspoon baking soda

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

　　1 cup granulated sugar

　　1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

　　4 large eggs

　　1 cup applesauce

　　1 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted, cooled and chopped coarse

　　confectioners' sugar for dusting

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9- by 3-inch tube pan, knocking out excess flour.

　　

Step 2

In a small saucepan heat rum and raisins over moderate heat just until hot. Remove pan from heat and cool mixture. Strain mixture through a sieve and reserve raisins.

　　

Step 3

Into a bowl sift together flour, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat butter with granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in applesauce and add flour mixture, beating just until batter is combined. Stir in reserved raisins and nuts and spread batter in pan.

　　

Step 4

Bake cake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean, and cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely. Dust cake with confectioners' sugar.