Spice Cake Bars (low fat!)

     This is the best spice cake I've ever had.  There is absolutely nothing low-fat tasting about it.  I was seriously blown away when I had my first bite...I figured it would just be an average, low fat spice bread...nothing special about it - but boy was I wrong.  These were incredible!!!  Not only are they the best spice cake I've ever had, but they're the best cake bar as well.  They taste just like carrot cake but with out the carrots.  They're perfectly moist, and not spongy at all (like most low fat cakes).  The spices are balanced so well, and they make these bars have a fantastic flavor.  They don't even need frosting..you can just sprinkle them with confectioners sugar if you prefer.  But I would definitely recommend frosting.  On a scale from 1 to 10, the frosting transforms these already 10 rated bars to a 20.  I'm not exaggerating.  These are deadly good when still warm from the oven, and the frosting melts all over it.  Mmmm....I am definitely going to make these again very soon.

Yield: about 16 bars (1 9x13 inch pan)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice or ground cloves
•  
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons margarine, melted
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in applesauce. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and spices; stir into the applesauce mixture until well blended. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Cool in the pan over a wire rack.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar and margarine. Stir in vanilla and milk until smooth. Spread over cooled bars before cutting into squares.