Hi Trish, we've experimented with using applesauce in place of some of the oil in baked goods, and we've found that replacing between 25% and 50% is typically the maximum amount that yields favorable results. Some quick breads (like banana bread, for instance) are more forgiving and can handle a larger amount of applesauce without changing the final product much. However, in delicate layers of cake like this, you might notice a textural differences more readily. We'd recommend starting by replacing a quarter of the oil with applesauce and then increasing it in the future if you like the results. Our test kitchen bakers use a host of different techniques for turning cakes out of the pan, but one tried and tested method is flipping the cake out of the pan and onto a plate, and then turning that onto a cooling rack (to prevent those marks you refer to). Any way you can get the cake (in one piece, top-up) onto the cooling rack is just fine. Kye@KAF

• Reply