KJL's TV Dinners: Olivia Walton's Applesauce Cake

Thanksgiving is often the official kick-off to the holiday season. Soon enough, we'll be baking all of our favorite holiday treats, shopping for presents, spending time with friends and family, and making memories in this wonderful world for Jesus Christ, our Savior.

One of the most wholesome family shows of all time, The Waltons repeatedly reminded viewers of the importance of family. The show charmed audiences throughout the '70s and '80s. I think everyone wanted to be a part of the Walton family. The family consisted of Olivia and John Walton, Grandpa Zeb and Grandma Esther, and the children: John-Boy, Jason, Mary Ellen, Ben, Erin, Jim-Bob, and Elizabeth.

"The Waltons" TV series (photo/Amazon.com).

The Walton family is just trying to get by during the Great Depression and World War II. They weren't wealthy, but they made up for their poor fortune with plenty of love. Isn't that what's most important?

Before the television show premiered in 1972, a Christmas special aired in 1971. The Homecoming: A Christmas Story focused on the story of the Waltons as they prepared for Christmas in 1933. At the time, John Walton was working away from their home on Walton's Mountain (in Jefferson County, Virginia). John hadn't arrived home yet on Christmas Eve and the family's worried about him. Was he safe? Would he make it home in time for Christmas? How could they have Christmas without him?

The 1971 TV movie, "The Homecoming: A Christmas Story" (photo/Pinterest).

In the special, Olivia Walton's famous applesauce cake is referenced. Now, I know the special was a Christmas movie, but an applesauce cake is a perfect dessert for either Thanksgiving or Christmas, which is why I'm featuring it this month. The Waltons remind us of the true meaning of the season, and it's important to understand this lesson as we approach the season--not when it's already over.

So, I present to you my version of Olivia Walton's applesauce cake. Towards the beginning of the TV special, Olivia is busy in the basement, gathering apples to make her signature applesauce cake. She makes it every year for the holidays, but she wasn't sure if she could make it in 1933 due to the Great Depression. The family couldn't afford to buy sugar.

However, she decided to make it anyway. It's a tradition and that just goes to show you the kind of mother Olivia Walton was--always working hard to care for the family she loved so dearly. As Grandpa Zeb said, "It wouldn't be Christmas without Livvy's applesauce cake."

So, whether you decide to make this dessert for Thanksgiving or for the holiday season, you won't be disappointed. It's a fun recipe to make and it has all of your favorite fall flavors: apples, nutmeg, walnuts, and cinnamon.

Olivia Walton's Applesauce Cake 

To bake this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

• 1/2 c. butter (at room temperature)
• 2 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 c. applesauce
• 1/2 c. raisins 
• 1 c. chopped walnuts 
• Powdered sugar, optional

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and add the brown sugar. Mix until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time while combining the mixture. Add the vanilla and mix until the wet ingredients are fluffy and smooth. 

In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg). Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the applesauce. Mix until well combined. Fold in the raisins and walnuts until the mixture is smooth. 

Pour into a greased and floured baking pan. Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes until the cake is firm to touch. Let the cake cool in the pan and then dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm. Enjoy! 

Now you can bake just like Olivia Walton. Isn't that everyone's dream? 

-KJL-