RECIPE DOCTOR
Blackberry Wine Cake's lighter but still colorful

By Elaine Magee
Knight Ridder News Service

Q. I read your column regularly in North Carolina and would like to submit one of my favorite recipes to be lightened — Blackberry Wine Cake.

A. I could just see this colorful cake as I was reading the recipe this reader sent to me!

The original recipe called for 1 box of white cake mix, 1 box of blackberry gelatin, 4 eggs, 1 cup of canola oil, and 1 cup of Manischewitz blackberry wine. It also made a glaze with 2 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 cup blackberry wine.

These I cut to 1 large egg and 4 egg whites (or 1/2 cup egg substitute), 1/4 cup of oil and 3/4 cup of blackberry yogurt and made the glaze icing with 2/3 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of blackberry wine (which reduced the sugar calories a little, too). It worked out very well and I hope this cake graces many a family table this spring and summer.

Original recipe contains 492 calories and 25 grams of fat per serving.

Blackberry Wine Cake

• 1 box Duncan Hines Deluxe white cake mix (or other 18 1/4-ounce cake mix)
• 1 small box Royal blackberry gelatin (or other 3-ounce mixed berry gelatin box)
• 1 large egg
• 4 egg whites or 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup blackberry low-fat yogurt (fat free or light sour cream can also be used)
• 1 cup Manischewitz blackberry wine (another brand can be used)

Glaze icing:

• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon blackberry wine

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a tube or Bundt pan with canola cooking spray and lightly flour the pan.

Mix cake mix and gelatin mix in large mixing bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk egg, egg whites or egg substitute, canola oil, yogurt and 1 cup blackberry until blended.

Add liquid mixture to dry mixture and beat on low speed for 3 minutes. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. Lower heat to 300 degrees and bake an additional 25 minutes. Check to make sure cake tests done. Let cake cool to lukewarm.

For icing, mix powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon wine until smooth and carefully pour over the lukewarm cake.

Makes 12 large servings (24 thin slices).

NOTE: This cake freezes well.

Per large serving: 321 calories, 5 g protein, 50 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat (1.3 g saturated fat, 5 g monounsaturated fat, 3.2 g polyunsaturated fat), 53 mg cholesterol, .4 g fiber, 350 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 28 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids .6 g. Omega-6 fatty acids 2.7. Weight Watchers POINTS: 7 points (large serving); 4 points (small serving).

Elaine Magee is author of "The Recipe Doctor Cookbook" and "The Flax Cookbook." Readers may write to her through her Web site at www.recipedoctor.com. Personal responses cannot be provided.