Fluffy Homemade Applesauce Cake Recipe – Fall’s Sweetest Treat

Applesauce cake brings warmth and nostalgia to any kitchen, reinventing simple ingredients into a delightful treat.

Moist, tender, and packed with comforting spices, this classic dessert offers a homemade touch that feels like a culinary hug.

Bakers love how the fruity ingredient adds natural sweetness and incredible texture to the cake crumb.

Its rustic charm makes it perfect for casual gatherings or quiet afternoons with a hot beverage.

Cinnamon and nutmeg often dance through the batter, creating an aromatic experience that fills your home with inviting scents.

Families appreciate how this cake bridges generations, connecting childhood memories with contemporary baking techniques.

Light, fluffy, and surprisingly easy to make, this recipe promises a delectable experience that satisfies sweet cravings without overwhelming complexity.

Why Applesauce Cake Is the Cozy Dessert You Didn’t Know You Needed

• Effortlessly Whip Up a Moist Delight: This applesauce cake delivers incredible moisture with minimal effort, using simple pantry ingredients that come together in minutes.
• Celebrate Healthy Indulgence: Packed with applesauce, this cake offers a lighter alternative to traditional desserts, providing natural sweetness and reducing added fats without compromising on flavor.
• Versatile Comfort in Every Slice: Perfect for casual afternoons, potlucks, or quick family desserts, this cake adapts easily to different occasions and can be enjoyed plain or dressed up with frosting.
• Zero-Fuss Baking Experience: With a straightforward mixing method and quick 18-minute baking time, even novice bakers can confidently create a delicious homemade treat that tastes like it came from a professional kitchen.

What Goes into a Moist and Spiced Applesauce Cake

• Applesauce: Provides moisture and natural sweetness to the cake.
• Water: Helps create a smooth batter consistency.
• Oil: Adds richness and helps prevent dryness, with applesauce as a lighter alternative.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances overall flavor with warm, sweet notes.
• Vinegar: Activates baking soda for better cake rise and tenderness.

• White Flour, Spelt Flour, Oat Flour: Flexible base for the cake with different nutritional profiles.
• Sugar: Sweetens the cake, with unrefined options for deeper flavor.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances overall taste.
• Baking Powder: Provides additional leavening for a lighter texture.
• Baking Soda: Helps cake rise and creates a soft crumb.

• Cinnamon: Adds warm, aromatic flavor complementing the applesauce.
• Allspice: Optional spice for extra depth and complexity.
• Raisins, Chopped Walnuts, Shredded Coconut: Optional mix-ins for added texture and flavor variety.

How to Bake an Easy Applesauce Cake from Scratch

Step 1: Warm Up The Oven

Crank up your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grab an 8-inch pan and give it a quick spray of cooking oil or line it with parchment paper for super easy cake removal.

Step 2: Create Liquid Magic

• Applesauce
• Water
• Oil
• Vanilla extract
• Vinegar

Blend these ingredients until they dance together smoothly.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients

• Flour
• Sugar
• Salt
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Allspice

• Raisins
• Walnuts
• Shredded coconut

Step 4: Bake To Perfection

Pour your beautiful batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula like you’re creating edible art. Slide the pan onto the center oven rack and bake for 18 minutes. Pro tip: The cake is ready when a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 5: Cool And Enjoy

Let your cake chill completely in the pan. Bonus flavor hack: This cake gets even more delicious if you let it rest overnight. Frost it or enjoy it naked- totally up to you!

Baking Tips for a Tender and Flavorful Applesauce Cake

• Measure Precisely: Use level measuring cups and spoons to ensure accurate ingredient proportions for a perfectly textured cake.
• Moisture Magic: Replace oil with unsweetened applesauce to create an incredibly moist and lighter cake without sacrificing flavor.
• Spice Boost: Toast ground cinnamon and allspice briefly in a dry pan to intensify their warm, aromatic qualities before adding to the batter.
• Customize Creatively: Experiment with mix-ins like chopped nuts, dried cranberries, or chocolate chips to add unexpected texture and depth.
• Storage Secret: Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap to maintain its moisture and keep it fresh for up to 3-4 days at room temperature.

How to Store and Reheat Applesauce Cake Without Drying It

• Refrigerate: Cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to maintain freshness and prevent drying out.
• Freeze: Wrap individual slices or the whole cake in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag. Store frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
• Reheat: Warm individual slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, or place in a preheated oven at 300°F for 5-7 minutes to restore moisture and bring back the cake's soft texture.

What to Serve with Applesauce Cake for Dessert

• Pair with Creamy Vanilla Custard: Complement the warm, spicy notes of the applesauce cake with a smooth, rich vanilla custard that enhances the cake's subtle sweetness and provides a luxurious contrast in texture.
• Serve with Chai Tea Latte: The aromatic spices in a chai tea latte perfectly match the cinnamon and allspice in the cake, creating a cozy, comforting flavor experience that warms you from the inside out.
• Match with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting: Top the cake with a decadent caramel cream cheese frosting that adds a silky, tangy layer of indulgence while highlighting the cake's natural apple and spice flavors.
• Enjoy with Mulled Cider: A warm mug of spiced mulled cider echoes the cake's autumnal spices and apple essence, making it an ideal companion that intensifies the dessert's homey, comforting profile.

Variations That Take Applesauce Cake Up a Notch

• Spiced Seasonal Sensation: Replace cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice and fold in chopped dried cranberries for a festive autumn-inspired version of the classic applesauce cake.
• Nutty Caramel Crunch: Add chopped pecans to the batter and drizzle a homemade caramel sauce over the cooled cake for extra richness and texture.
• Chocolate Swirl Option: Gently fold cocoa powder into half the batter, creating a marbled effect when you swirl the batters together before baking, resulting in a decadent chocolate-applesauce hybrid cake.
• Maple Walnut Embrace: Substitute half the sugar with pure maple syrup and mix in toasted walnuts for a deep, earthy flavor profile that complements the applesauce beautifully.

Applesauce Cake Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.6 from 32 reviews

• Total Time: 33 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Grandma’s classic applesauce cake delivers nostalgic comfort with warm spices and moist texture. Homemade goodness fills kitchens with irresistible aromas that invite memories and sweet moments with loved ones.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups white, spelt, or oat flour
• ½ cup applesauce
• ½ cup water
• ⅓ cup sugar (unrefined if desired)

Liquid and Fat Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) oil (or additional applesauce for a lighter option)
• 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) white or cider vinegar

Leavening and Spice Ingredients:

• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon allspice (optional)

Optional Add-ins:

• ½ cup raisins, chopped walnuts, or shredded coconut

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Prepare the oven environment by heating it to 350°F (175°C) and ready an 8-inch pan with a light coating of grease or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
2. Create a smooth liquid foundation by vigorously whisking applesauce, water, oil, vanilla extract, and vinegar in a spacious mixing vessel until ingredients harmonize completely.
3. Gradually introduce dry components – flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and aromatic cinnamon – into the wet mixture, stirring methodically to develop a silky, lump-free batter.
4. Enhance the cake’s texture by gently incorporating optional mix-ins like raisins, walnuts, or shredded coconut, folding them delicately to distribute evenly throughout the batter.
5. Transfer the velvety batter into the prepared pan, using a spatula to create a perfectly level surface that ensures uniform baking.
6. Position the pan centrally in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 18-20 minutes, monitoring closely and testing for doneness by inserting a clean toothpick into the cake’s center.
7. Remove from oven and allow the cake to rest and stabilize at room temperature, letting flavors meld and intensify as it cools completely within the pan.
8. For optimal taste experience, consider letting the cake sit overnight, which allows its flavors to develop and deepen, creating an even more complex dessert profile.
9. Serve as is for a rustic presentation or embellish with your preferred frosting to elevate the cake’s visual and gustatory appeal.

Notes

• Baking this cake feels like wrapping yourself in a cozy autumn blanket, with warm spices dancing through every bite.
• Overnight resting deepens the cake’s rich, comforting flavors, transforming a simple dessert into a memorable treat.
• Versatile and forgiving, this recipe welcomes creative additions like nuts or raisins, making it perfect for spontaneous baking adventures.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 18 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 140
• Sugar: 8 g
• Sodium: 190 mg
• Fat: 5 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 23 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg