Lumberjack Squares

Work. Don’t think. Relax. ~Ray Bradbury

It’s in between the working and the relaxing that the brain gets in trouble.

Fretting. Worrying. Feeding the illusion of control.

I imagine Depression-era  lumberjacks relaxed with gusto and didn’t waste a lot of time in the in-between – but how would I know, really?

And why these squares are called Lumberjack Squares I’m not sure, either – I prefer eating them to thinking about them.

I think you will, too.

5 from 1 vote

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Lumberjack Squares

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

1 hr 5 mins

 

These cake-like squares are dense and delicious. They freeze well, so you can double the recipe to make one for now and one for later.

Author: Mary Gillespie

Ingredients

• 1 medium apple - peeled cored and grated
• 2 medium carrots finely grated
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• TOPPING:
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/4 cup milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan
2. Combine apples, carrot, raisins, cranberries, orange juice, water and baking soda in mixing bowl.
3. Let cool.
4. While the mixture is cooling, beat oil, applesauce, egg and vanilla. When the apple mixture has cooled, add the egg mixture and mix together.
5. In separate bowl, stir together flour and salt. Stir gently into apple mixture.
6. Spread in prepared baking pan, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
7. Prepare topping while the bars are baking: combine all topping ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan.
8. Stir over low heat until butter and sugar have melted.
9. Spread over hot squares when they are removed from the oven.Return pan to oven and continue baking for 7-10 minutes, or until has browned.
10. Cool in the pan, then cut into squares for serving.

Photograph by Russell Lee  is in the public domain and can be found on the site Photistoric.