This recipe came from a box of Duncan Hines cake mix, but I've added some vanilla and extra spices to make it memorable! Being from Duncan Hines means to use a cake mix without pudding. Also, I like to start with a smooth, bland commercial applesauce and sweeten it with brown sugar, then jazz it up with some extra cinnamon and cardamom - whatever spices suit your fancy - so the applesauce tastes really good to start with. A smooth applesauce allows the cake to remain light. If you don't have cardamom, try some five-spice powder. For frosting, use a cream cheese frosting by itself or sprinkled with chopped nuts. For a diffferent flavor, add some dulce de leche (caramel sauce) to your cream cheese frosting along with a little maple flavoring. This is one of my favorite cakes!