Fall Festival Recipe Exchange: Dr. Pepper Cake

My Friend Amy is asking for recipes today. It's "Fall Festival Recipe Exchange" time. I've got a recipe to share. But I don't know that anyone would consider it especially fallish. Does that matter so long as it's tasty? I hope not. I'm sharing a family recipe (of sorts) with you.* One that more often or not gets made more in the fall than at other times.

(Could it be because of three birthdays and two holidays?) (It could also be that the oven doesn't get used much during the summer. In Texas. No matter how much you crave something.) (I think there are only two seasons in Texas. In this case oven weather and not-oven weather. And oh the celebrating when it is finally time to make oven goodies: meat loaf, baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, oven-roasted (sweet) potato fries, baked chicken with a cracker-crumb crust, baked carrots, hot ham and cheese sandwiches, casseroles (all sorts), biscuits, corn bread, etc.)

You can make a cake, cup cakes, or little loaves with this recipe. It does transport well. And they make great gifts for teachers during the holiday season. :)

Dr. Pepper Cake

For the cake

• 1 white or yellow cake mix (A cake mix without pudding. Cheap kind is fine. You'll have to trust me on that.)
• 1 cup Dr. Pepper (1 measuring cup of Dr. Pepper. Which leaves just enough of your 12 oz. can to have some while you're working.)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

For the topping:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped nuts (pecan or walnut works best)

Baking directions:

1) Follow the directions on the box of your cake mix. EXCEPT that instead of adding their amount of liquid/water (oil, etc.) you substitute 1 cup Dr. Pepper and 1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce.

2) Pour the batter into your cake pan. (It works as cupcakes if you prefer.)

3) For the topping, mix your brown sugar and nuts together well. Mixed Well being the key words if you don't like eating clumps of brown sugar. Brown sugar is clumpy and lumpy for the most part.

4) Sprinkle the topping mixture on top of your cake batter.

5) Bake it according to the temperature and time given on the cake mix.

It smells heavenly. Really, really heavenly. And it tastes as good as it smells.

*Mom got the recipe from a friend back in the early nineties. I'm assuming Mom's friend got it from another friend who probably got it from someone else.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible