Pumpkin Spice Cake

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
4 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
2 cups canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Frosting:
1/4 cup margarine, softened
4 oz low-fat cream cheese or Neufchatel
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:
Cake:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray and flour a 10 inch tube (bundt) pan. Sift together flour, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and salt.

2) In separate bowl, combine applesauce, oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Stir together the wet and dry ingredients, beating until smooth.

3) Stir in pumpkin puree and egg whites, then fold in nuts (if desired). Pour batter into pan and bake 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean.

4) Let sit in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Frosting:
1) Combine cheese and margarine. Cream together with sugar and vanilla. Add more sugar if not sweet enough for your taste. Frost cake and sprinkle with orange-colored crystallized sugar.