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    Applesauce Cake

    Published: Oct 1, 2019 · Modified: Sep 22, 2020 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 7 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Applesauce Cake
    Applesauce Cake on a wooden board
    Applesauce Cake in a clear baking dish
    Topping Applesauce Cake with powdered sugar
    Applesauce Cake on a wooden board
    Applesauce Cake

    Applesauce Cake on a wooden board

    Applesauce and a small amount of oil make this a tender, moist cake that requires no mixer. On its own or with a light dusting of powdered sugar, Applesauce Cake makes a great addition to a breakfast or brunch spread. Add some cream cheese frosting, and it’s a dessert that’s easy enough for a weeknight. 

    Clara has been talking about a recipe that only a 5-year-old could dream up. She tells me that it’s a “muffin” that includes frosting, crushed graham crackers, butter, and “a pinch of salt”. I’m one part curious and two parts nervous about setting her loose in the kitchen to see what happens.

    I’m hoping her inspiration has come from a flurry of cake-baking we’ve been doing to create easy, weeknight-friendly cakes like this household go-to – One-Bowl Chocolate Cake. These are my favorite kind of cakes – just the right size for serving at a meal or two, fun to serve to guests, and don’t require a mixer or a bunch of work. Applesauce cake our latest favorite. Read on for a few tips to make this snack cake that is great for fall.

    Applesauce in a jar on a grey countertop

    Applesauce Cake Ingredients

    • Applesauce – I tested this cake with all varieties of applesauce and the cake always came out great. In the end, I settled on a cinnamon applesauce with no added sugar because it gave the cake even more great cinnamon flavor. Just be sure that you use room temperature applesauce (see note below).
    • Pumpkin Pie Spice – Not just for pumpkin recipes! The primary ingredient in pumpkin pie spice is cinnamon which, of course, is a great fit for the flavor of apples. Pumpkin pie spice also gives the apple cake the flavor of ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Think of the spices in warm apple cider – that’s what you’ll get from this cake. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make the cake with just ground cinnamon (also great, but not as flavorful).
    • Egg and Egg Yolk – You’ll need one whole egg and one egg yolk (discard the extra white). That extra yolk just helps to bind the cake and makes it extra tender.
    • Packed Brown Sugar – Either light or dark brown sugar will work. 
    • Vegetable Oil – Applesauce makes this cake moist and tender, but you’ll also need a small amount of oil.
    • Flour, Baking Soda, Salt, Pure Vanilla Extract – You’ll also need these other pantry staples.

    mixing dry ingredients for applesauce cake in a mixing bowl

    How to Make Applesauce Cake

    This is easy. No mixer required! You’ll just need two bowls – one large and one small.

      1. Mix dry ingredients – In a large bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to do this and make sure that the pumpkin pie spice looks evenly distributed.
      2. Mix wet ingredients – In a smaller bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolk, brown sugar, applesauce, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract
      3. Combine everything until just combined – Do not overmix the cake. Use a spatula just to stir the dry and wet ingredients until you see no dry spots.
      4. Add mix-ins – Want to customize? Stir in any of the optional mix-ins below. 
      5. Bake – Transfer to the oven and bake for 28 to 30 minutes (add a few minutes if using mix-ins). That’s it! 

    mixing batter in a clear bowl

    Use Room Temperature Ingredients

    It’s important that the ingredients you use for this applesauce cake are room temperature. You want the batter to be room temperature when it goes into the oven to insure that it cooks evenly. When testing the cake with applesauce straight from the refrigerator, the center of the cake was still uncooked when the edges were cooked through.

    Applesauce Cake in a clear baking dish

    Optional Mix-Ins / Toppings

    The applesauce cake is great all on its own. However, if you want to make it your own, try adding any of these mix-ins.

    • Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
    • Golden Raisins
    • Apple, peeled and diced
    • Chocolate Chips

    Serve the cake on its own, or top it with:

    • A dusting of powdered sugar
    • Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Cinnamon Buttercream

    topping Applesauce Cake with powdered sugar on a cooling rack

    Key to Moist Cake / Quick bread

    The key to making a moist cake or quick bread like applesauce cake is not to overmix the batter. That is why you mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls first. Mix them very well on their own so that, when combined, you only need to stir a few times. A wide spatula is the best tool to use as it allows you to gently fold the ingredients together just until you see no dry spots of flour.

    Applesauce Cake on a wooden board

    Other 8×8 Cake Recipes

    • Easy Vanilla Snack Cake
    • Semolina Yogurt Cake
    • One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
    • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

    Favorite Tools

    • Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls
    • 8×8 Baking Dish Emile Henry 

     

    Applesauce Cake on a wooden board
    Print Recipe
    3.71 from 24 votes

    Applesauce Cake

    Applesauce and a small amount of oil make this a tender, moist cake with just a handful of ingredients. Served on its own, this bread makes a great addition to a brunch spread. Add cream cheese frosting, and it’s a dessert that’s easy enough for a weeknight.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Servings: 16
    Calories: 198kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $3.50

    Equipment

    • 8”x8” or 9”x9” square baking dish

    Ingredients

    For the Cake

    • 1 cup Applesauce
    • 1 Egg
    • 1 Egg yolk (discard egg white)
    • 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
    • 1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
    • 1 tsp Baking Soda
    • 1/4 tsp Salt
    • 3/4 cup packed Brown Sugar (light or dark will work)
    • 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
    • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

    Optional Add-Ins

    • 1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
    • 1/2 cup Golden Raisins
    • 1 small Apple, peeled and diced
    • 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

    Instructions

    • About 15 minutes before cooking, combine applesauce, egg, and egg yolk in a small mixing bowl.
    • Let them sit out at room temperature. (Note: This is especially important if your applesauce has been in the refrigerator. Using room temperature applesauce and eggs will insure that the cake cooks evenly.)
    • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Spray an 8”x8” baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt until very well combined.
    • To the bowl with the applesauce and eggs, whisk in brown sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.
    • Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir with a spatula just until combined (be careful not to overmix; a lighter touch here will lead to a more tender, moist cake).
    • Stir in any of the optional add-ins.
    • Pour batter into prepared pan.
    • Bake until the center of the cake is just set and edges are light golden brown, 28 to 30 minutes. (Note: If you added chopped apples to the cake, it may take up to 5 minutes longer to cook through since the apples may release moisture into the cake as it cooks.)
    • Let cake cool completely in the pan. Slice and serve.

    Notes

    I usually slice this small 8”x8”cake into 16 squares that are perfect for snacks or to pack in lunches. You can also slice it into 9 more generous dessert-sized portions.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 53IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

    Where’s June…where’s June…there she is! (This baby could play peek-a-boo for HOURS right now.)

    *This post contains affiliate links*

    Filed Under: Cakes, Dessert, Make with Kids, Recipes

    About Jess

    Hi, I'm Jess, an amateur cook turned professional recipe developer, food stylist, and photographer specializing in quick and easy meals that make weeknights a bit more fun. I love sharing my kitchen and my journey as a chef with other home cooks on this blog. Learn more about me here.

    Previous Post: « Pumpkin Pie Spice
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. DAVID A Folstad

      October 01, 2019 at 10:53 am

      It looks delicious as does your post. I enjoy the organization of your posts and photos interspersed as they are progressively.

      Reply
    2. Glenna

      February 19, 2020 at 9:28 am

      This was moist and delicious. Added walnuts. Thank you for recipe.

      Reply
      • Jess

        February 20, 2020 at 6:51 am

        Great! So glad you liked it!

        Reply
    3. Vanessa

      July 20, 2020 at 2:51 pm

      Just the recipe I was looking for! Can’t wait to try it.

      Reply
    4. Debra

      March 26, 2021 at 2:51 pm

      Can spices be added to this cake other than pumpkin spice, if yes what kind and how much?

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        March 30, 2021 at 10:44 pm

        Absolutely – use any ground spice you would like in the same measurement as the pumpkin pie spice. (It’s usually some mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ground ginger, so any combination of those would be excellent in place of the pumpkin pie spice.)

        Reply
    5. Maria

      March 28, 2021 at 7:04 pm

      We love it!!! 💕

      Reply

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    Hi there! We're Jess and Frank. We live in Kansas City with our three daughters. Our recipes are made with busy families in mind. We lived in Thailand which inspired us to cook flavorful, fun meals at home and we know you can too. We believe in your inner cook! More...

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