Thin frosting helps reduce fat by 75% on prune cake

Dear Jeanne: Please lighten this cake. Thanks. — Lois Kosub, La Vernia, Texas

Dear Lois: This is a very tasty cake, and I have reduced the fat by 75 percent! Don't let the name scare you off; it's a moist spice cake. The frosting is very thin, so it's more like a glaze. Pouring it over the cake while both are still warm helps it to soak in.

PRUNE CAKE

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon each: nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon

1 cup bite-size prunes, chopped

Frosting:

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons margarine

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

2. Beat eggs in medium bowl. Add sugar and beat well. Mix in oil. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in buttermilk. Sift flour, salt and spices. Add alternately with buttermilk mixture to egg mixture. Fold in prunes.

3. Pour batter into pan and bake about 1 hour.

4. Frosting: Combine sugar, baking soda, buttermilk, margarine and salt in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over cake while both are still warm.

Makes 16 servings.

LOW-FAT PRUNE CAKE

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves