While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday.

June 6 is National Applesauce Cake Day.

Applesauce cake is a warm, spiced cake that is often flecked with raisins or nuts. This type of cake particularly came in handy during World War I and throughout the Depression when eggs, sugar and butter were scarce and rationed. Applesauce adds sweetness and moisture, so it was a practical and patriotic replacement for the staple ingredients in shortage. It also is a healthful substitute for vegans and vegetarians who don't want to bake with eggs and/or butter.

Homemade applesauce is a cinch to make. Peeled apples, spices, lemon juice, lemon rind and sugar are simmered together until soft. The aromatics are then discarded before mashing the apples or running them through a food mill. Just make sure you use a good cooking apple like Granny Smith or Golden Delicious.