This is Fall baking at its finest. Apple flavor aplenty in this moist and simple Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake. Use homemade or store-bought applesauce to make this delicious cake! With the flavors of fall baked right in, this moist cake is made in a bundt pan and makes for a wonderful holiday dessert or the perfect treat for an afterschool snack.
Looking for more Fall baking recipes? Try Apple Cider Donut Loaf Cake and Spiced Apple Cider Bundt Cake.
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The secret to the best applesauce cake
This old-fashioned applesauce cake is an easy recipe you will make time and again. Here is what makes it magical:
- The ingredient list includes mainly pantry staples you likely already have in your house.
- Applesauce is a flavorful addition to any good cake recipe, especially this bundt cake. It keeps the cake moist and jam-packed with seasonal flavor.
- Unlike layer cakes, no frosting necessary for this cake. Just a delicious applesauce cake with a simple caramel sauce drizzle or sprinkling of powdered sugar will do.
Like this recipe? Follow me on Pinterest for lots more recipes just like this one! And don’t forget to pin this recipe for later by clicking on one of the images below the recipe. Or, click on any of the images in this post to save to Pinterest.
What kind of applesauce to use in applesauce cake
You can use store-bought applesauce or homemade applesauce made from fresh apples that are aplenty during the Fall season. I recommend using unsweetened applesauce. That way, you can control the amount of sweetness in the cake. Chunky or smooth applesauce work equally well here.
I have tried this cake with all kinds of applesauce and it always turns out beautifully. If you prefer chunks of apple in the cake, use chunky applesauce. You will need one and a quarter cups applesauce.
How to make this recipe
This delicious recipe comes together easily! Here's how to make this moist applesauce cake recipe:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a bundt pan (or a 9 inch by 9 inch) metal baking pan. I like to use cake goop - it releases the cake so easily from the bundt pan which historically can be a tricky pan to remove cake from.
If you'd prefer not to make your own cake goop mixture, use Pam spray with flour or brush melted butter liberally on all cracks and crevices, then sprinkle heavily with flour. Tap out the excess flour over the sink. Set aside.
Here's a step-by-step photo guide to how to make this cake:
Add white sugar to the mixer bowl
How to store this bundt cake to keep it moist
To store this applesauce spice cake so it stays moist and won't dry out, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap while it's still warm. Store at room temperature up to 2 days.
This cake may be stored in the fridge for up to one week or frozen up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature then warm gently in the microwave at 50% power until desired temperature has been reached.
Store the cake without any topping such as caramel sauce or powdered sugar.
If you would like to make homemade applesauce for use in this easy cake, try this one.
For more easy desserts like this one, be sure to check out these recipes on the blog:
Looking for even more? Check out all my Fall recipes and my Cake recipes.
FOR ALL MY FAVORITE BAKING TOOLS INCLUDING THOSE USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE, CHECK OUT MY BAKING RESOURCES PAGE!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups applesauce store-bought or homemade, smooth or chunky
- powdered sugar or caramel sauce for dusting or for drizzling, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a bundt pan or a 9 inch by 9 inch metal baking pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- In bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and both sugars on low speed until blended.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup dark brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Increase speed of mixer to medium-high and beat 3 minutes until well combined. Mixture should be light in color, smooth, and fluffy. Stop the mixer to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed to ensure all the butter is evenly incorporated.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stop the mixer to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.2 large eggs
- Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in the applesauce (don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled, it’s supposed to look that way!).1 ¼ cups applesauce
- Stir in the flour mixture on low speed until smooth, scraping bowl occasionally with rubber spatula to ensure it’s fully mixed. Do not overmix or the cake will become dense.
- Scrape batter into the prepared bundt pan and spread evenly. Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out with just a few crumbs attached to it (bake time is the same for both the bundt pan and the 9×9 pan).
- Cool slightly on a wire rack. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with caramel sauce. Slice and serve!powdered sugar or caramel sauce
Notes
- Recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping’s Great Baking cookbook
- Feel free to substitute store-bought applesauce for homemade applesauce.
- Cake can also be made in a bundt pan or smaller pie pans. Reduce baking time if splitting the batter among a few smaller pans.
- To store this applesauce cake so it stays moist and won't dry out, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap while it's still warm. Store at room temperature up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage. Store cakes naked (without powdered sugar or caramel sauce).
Nutrition
Comments
Shelly Jarusiewicz
This looks AMAZING. I can not WAIT to try it!
(This comment was made by a friend of Kickass Baker's owner.)
Kim
Woo hoo! Give it a try and let me know how you like it
Dottie Dashner
The kickass apple sauce cake is so good,will make that again.
Kim
So happy to hear you loved it!!
Jessica D Bland
Can you use light brown sugar instead of dark brown sugar
Kimberlee Ho
Absolutely!
JA
My uncle has been talking about an applesauce cake that his mother use to make in the 50's for years. Unfortunately, the recipe died with her. I just came across your recipe and I'm going to make it for him for Christmas. He's in his 80's so I hope this takes him back to his youth and makes his tummy smile.
Kim
Thank you so much for sharing this! I hope this cake comes close to the original and/or brings back memories for your uncle 🙂
Joey Groneman
Just made it. Will try the Carmel sauce and share with neighbors during this pandemic. Thanks.
Kim
awesome!!
Brenda Cox
Just made it in a small silicone fluted pan and it is gorgeous! Great recipe and it wasn't difficult to make. I added a 1/4 tsp of cloves to give it that apple butter taste! Very moist and delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Kim
sounds just perfect, Brenda! I'm so glad you loved this cake as much as I do!
Jim Gosdin
It seems like just a few days ago there were measurements of the ingredients posted. Now I have ny pan greased and floured, the oven prehhated and the contents in front of me, and the quantity of the ingredients is gone from sight. I will do it again, but these recipes are reading like 'War and Peace'!
Kimberlee Ho
Hi Jim, you have to scroll down to the recipe card to get to the ingredient amounts. You could also click on the Print Recipe button to see the full recipe on its own page. Here's the link to the print recipe: https://kickassbaker.com/wprm_print/old-fashioned-applesauce-cake-recipe#.
Jim Gosdin
EXACTLY the recipe I have been looking for! Superb...
Kimberlee Ho
Wonderful!
Georgina
I have madethis cake for a friend and she love it she line it plain no source or power sugar
Kimberlee Ho
So glad to hear this, Georgina! Thanks for sharing.