Spice cake. For future reference

• One box, yellow cake mix
• Two-thirds cup old-fashioned oatmeal
• One teaspoon cinnamon  (most recipes use three times the amount of spice)
• One-quarter teaspoon nutmeg
• One-quarter teaspoon cardamom
• Two handfuls raisins
• Two handfuls dried cherries
• Nuts optional
• One stick butter
• One-quarter cup vegetable oil
• Three eggs
• Two cups or a little more of applesauce. Equivalent amount of smashed very ripe bananas can be substituted.

Mix dried ingredients, less dried fruit.

Cream shortening and eggs. It may be necessary to warm butter.

Add applesauce after shortening is creamed and mix.

Add wet to the dry mix and blend only until dry is thoroughly wetted out, just like you were making muffins.

Add fruit and nuts and fold into a greased 9-by-13 inch cake pan.

Have your wife check it to make sure it is done. 35 minutes at 350 in our oven got it done.

Wait until it is dead-cold, then frost lightly with cream cheese frosting.

Notes:

This is not a very rich or spicy "spice" cake. Texture is slightly nubbly from the oatmeal. 

More of a little something sweet to finish a meal.

Fiddle with proportions in the future.