New and improved recipe. This delicious and moist Applesauce Cake is made with 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 it 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, then 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.
How to make Applesauce Cake?
First, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves. Now 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 that has been greased and floured or sprayed with nonstick baking spray. Bake for about 30 minutes or just 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, and vanilla 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. This cake should be refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting.
Helpful tips for this apple dessert
- Grease and flour the baking dish well.
- If possible, use unsweetened applesauce as there is already sugar in the recipe.
- Other nuts like walnuts or pecans are equally delicious in this cake.
- Do not over-mix the cake batter, as this can make it tough. Mix just until combined.
- The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake it.
- This moist applesauce cake is even more delicious the day after baking, so plan accordingly.
- Fully cool the cake before frosting. This can take several hours.
- Store this cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Store leftovers covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Applesauce Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 ½ 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
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ 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
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13-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, and vanilla 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.
Notes
- Grease and flour the baking dish well.
- If possible, use unsweetened applesauce as sugar is already in the recipe.
- Other nuts like walnuts or pecans are equally delicious in this cake.
- Do not over-mix the cake batter, as this can make it tough. Mix just until combined.
- The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake it.
- This moist applesauce cake is even more delicious the day after baking, so plan accordingly.
- Fully cool the cake before frosting. This can take several hours.
- Store this cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Store leftovers covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
On the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
CJ
This was a success at Thanksgiving. Very sweet and the cake is silky. Goes great with coffee. I highly recommend!
Beth Pierce
Thank you CJ! So glad that you liked the applesauce cake.
Jackie
Can you do cupcakes for this recipe? If so, how long to bake?
Beth Pierce
Yes, you can. About 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Jackie
Can this recipe be made as layer cake
Beth Pierce
I have not tried this as a layer cake. Generally speaking you can with a 9×13 inch cake.
Luann
I made this cake about a month ago – fabulous! I made it as written and wouldn’t change anything. It was moist, redolent with warming spices, moist, and the cinnamon frosting provided the perfect finish. I will make this cake regularly. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Luann! I am so glad that you like the applesauce cake!
Carrie
I don’t typically comment, but have to say, this cake was perfect. I had homemade applesauce and apple butter and used a cup of each. I also reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup each of white and brown. It turned out soft, moist and fluffy. Thank you!
Beth Pierce
Awesome! So glad you liked the applesauce cake. Thanks for the tips!
Wayne Abshire
is 1 1/2 table spoons of vanilla for the frosting a miss print or is that an accurate measurement
Beth Pierce
That is a misprint. I am going to fix it right now. It is 1 1/2 teaspoons.
Mary S
Can you bake this cake in a Bundt pan and if so, how long do you recommend?
Beth Pierce
Here is a great article on baking cakes in bundt pans. Do not overfill the bundt pan. Leave at least 1/2 inch at the top.
Marysa
This looks so moist and delicious. What a great idea for apple-picking season! The frosting sounds amazing too.
Tammy
I love subbing applesauce for oil in my cakes. It makes the cake so light and fluffy I think plus it lightens it up! This looks like a fabulous cake!
Khushboo
This cake looks really so delicious. I can’t wait to try it soon.
Rhian Westbury
I’m the biggest fan of Autumn season and this just makes me think of Autumn. Such a warming mixture of spices and apple x
Laura
This is very similar to a carrot cake recipe – sounds amazing!
Melanie E
This sounds pretty amazing. I make a cake with apple pieces and it’s always popular. I bet this would go over well too.
Stephanie
I love how soft the applesauce keeps the cake. And cinnamon in the frosting is such a delicious idea!
Katherine
I made this recipe it is delicious. My whole family loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Katherine! So glad that they liked it!
Nancy F Forte
would it be okay to use crisco shortening instead of butter, to lower cholesterol content?
Beth Pierce
Yes
Paula
This is the most amazing cake i ever made added some fudge on top before cooking because I didn’t have any caramel sauce, it was so moist even the next couple of days. Thanks my favorite cake ever. Gonna add carrot’s next time to try .
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Paula! I am so glad that you like it. I love the fudge idea!
Colleen
Great recipe! Very easy to make a really delicious. Will definitely make it again.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Colleen! So glad that you liked it!
Angela
What a lovely moist cake! Loved the cinnamon cream cheese frosting!
Sarah James
What a delicious apple cake. I love how you’ve used apple sauce to keep the cake moist, looking forward to trying it very soon. Thanks for sharing.
Erika
This cake is so delicious! I love the use of applesauce in this cake!
Diana Reis
This bread has a lovely texture and it is so easy to make. Thank you for the great recipe.
DONNA FREEDMAN
Great recipe, with a few tweaks of my own: used half the amount of sugar and it was sweet enough; replaced half of the flour with multigrain pastry flour; replaced half the butter with walnut oil, as I used walnuts instead of pecan.
Dannii
I love any kind of apple dessert and this looks delicious.
Suzy
I always buy applesauce hoping my kids will eat it but they never do, but they do love it in cake! So good!!
Toni
I seriously love how easy this is to make! My family enjoyed it!
Erin
I’m drooling! This Applesauce Cake is everything I love!
Amanda
What a great combination, I want to try this really bad!