Spiced chocolate applesauce cake

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.01
  
       Title: Spiced Chocolate Applesauce Cake
  Categories: Fruits, Chocolate, Sauces, Cakes/choc.
       Yield: 16 servings
  
   2 1/2 c  Flour; unbleached, sifted         1/2 c  Cocoa; baking
       2 ts Baking soda                         1 ts Cinnamon; ground
       1 ts Salt                              3/4 c  Vegetable shortening
       2 c  Sugar                               2 ea Eggs; large
       1 ts Vanilla                             1 c  Applesauce
       1 c  Buttermilk                        1/3 c  ;boiling water
       1 x  --chocolate fluff frosting--        1 ea ------------------------
 	    2 oz Unsweetened chocolate		   1/2 c  Confectioners' sugar;
      sifted
     1/4 c  Butter or margarine;softened        1 ts Vanilla
 	    2 ea Egg whites; large		     1 c  Confectioners' sugar;
      sifted
  
   Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.  Cream
   together the shortening and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy,
   using an electric mixer at medium speed.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating
   well after each addition.  Blend in vanilla and applesauce. Add dry
   ingredients alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture, beating well
   after each addition.  Beat in boiling water. (Batter should be thick.) Pour
   batter into greased and waxed paper-lined 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Bake
   in preheated 350 degree F. oven for 1 hour or until cake tests done. Cool
   10 minutes in pan on rack. Remove from pan; cool on rack. When cake is
   cooled, spread with Chocolate Fluff Frosting. Cut in squares. CHOCOLATE
   FLUFF FROSTING: Melt chocolate over hot water. Cool to room temperature.
   Blend together confectioners' sugar, butter, melted chocolate and vanilla
   in a bowl and beat until smooth.  In another bowl, beat egg whites until
   soft peaks form, using an electric mixer at high speed. Gradually beat in 1
   c sifted confectioners' sugar, 2 T at a time, until egg white mixture is
   glossy and stiff.  Fold in chocolate mixture into the beaten egg whites.
  
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