This delicious and moist Applesauce Cake combines the flavors of applesauce, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, all topped with a delicious five-ingredient cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
I love to take this cake to potlucks, family reunions, and neighborhood shindigs. It has so much incredible apple flavor and is even better the day after it has been baked. I think I have mentioned a time or two that fall is my favorite time of the year. It will be here before you know it, and with it comes everything apple.
If your family is anything like mine, apple desserts are always a huge hit. This cake, apple cobbler, apple brown betty, and crock pot apple butter are just a few family and friends’ favorite apple recipes.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Spices: ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. If desired, add a couple of pinches of ground ginger or allspice.
- Applesauce: unsweetened, all-natural
- Oil: Vegetable or canola
- Vanilla Extract: the pure stuff, please
- Nuts: walnuts or pecans
- Butter: unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, eliminate the added salt in the frosting.
How to Make Applesauce Cake
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, combine the applesauce, eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
Now, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in several increments, mixing just until combined. Then fold in the walnuts and pecans if using. Pour the mixture into a 9×13 baking pan, greased and floured or sprayed with nonstick baking spray. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Move the pan to a wire rack to cool.
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer, beat together the butter, cream cheese, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract until light, fluffy, and smooth. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and beaters as needed. Spread on the fully-cooled cake. Because of the cream cheese frosting, this cake should be refrigerated.
Preparation Tips
- If possible, use unsweetened applesauce, as sugar is already in the recipe.
- Do not over-mix the cake batter, as this can make it tough. Mix just until combined.
- This moist applesauce cake is even more delicious the day after baking, so plan accordingly.
- Thoroughly cool the cake before frosting. This can take several hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake this cake.
This cake tastes better on the second day. Bake it up to 24 hours in advance. Prepare and spread the frosting on the day of serving. Once the cake is frosted, store it covered in the refrigerator until it is ready to serve. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
With a cream cheese frosting, this cake should be stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Leftovers covered with plastic wrap can be stored in the fridge for up to four days.
Cover the baking dish with two layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and store it covered in the fridge.
More Apple Desserts
Applesauce Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 2½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups applesauce (unsweetened, all-natural)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 ounces of cream cheese softened
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking dish
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves.
- In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in several increments mixing just until combined. Fold in the walnuts and pecans if using. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Move the pan to a wire rack to fully cool.
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer, beat together the butter, cream cheese, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract until light, fluffy and smooth. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and beaters as needed.
- Spread the frosting on the fully-cooled cake. This cake should be refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting.
Video
Notes
- If possible, use unsweetened applesauce, as sugar is already in the recipe.
- Do not over-mix the cake batter, as this can make it tough. Mix just until combined.
- This moist applesauce cake is even more delicious the day after baking, so plan accordingly.
- Thoroughly cool the cake before frosting. This can take several hours.
- This cake should be stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Leftovers covered with plastic wrap can be stored in the fridge for up to four days.
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Karen
This was out of this world. The recipe was very easy to follow and my family loved it. Thanks for the recipe. It is a keeper.
Clarice
Watching the video made me crave this! It looks so good. Thank you for sharing the recipe. Will find time to make my version of the applesauce cake this weekend.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Clarice! Enjoy!
Stacie k
I just can’t wait to make this for my next family gathering! It was so good. We loved every bite.
Stacy
No joke, my new favourite dessert. So, so yummy!
Marsha Allbert
This cake is absolutely delicious as a cake I’ve made it several times. I’m I able to make cupcakes with this recipe ?
Thank you
Beth Pierce
Yes you can!
Theresa Meyers
Yummy
Anna
Delish! We didn’t even get a chance to frost it; just had to have a slice as soon as it was cool enough to cut.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Anna! I agree that it is a delicious cake.
Robin
Absolutely yummy! I made this but substituted the vegetable oil for half cup of avocado oil and half cup melted butter. I also used walnuts and did not use the frosting. In my opinion, this cake is so moist and delicious it doesn’t need frosting.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Robin! I am so happy that you liked it!
Betty Seagraves
Made this cake for company. I enjoy baking and this recipe was one of a very few I’ve made exactly by the recipe. It was so easy and I froze cut pieces until day of serving. Piped rosettes on each piece, topped with a roasted pecan half and a light drizzle of caramel sauce. Even the pickiest person devoured his piece. Thanks for a must-have recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Betty! I am so happy that you and your guests enjoyed the cake.