A simple and cozy Applesauce Cake filled with warm spices and applesauce. Top with cinnamon cream cheese frosting, powdered sugar, or honey.
Applesauce cake! Because it’s fall! Because applesauce cake is amazing! And because we need a vehicle to transport cinnamon cream cheese frosting into our faces (obviously).
If you like cake that has a hint of apple flavor, plenty of warm spices, and is equally appropriate for breakfast, snack, or dessert… this one is for YOU.
Why you’ll love this Applesauce Cake
Flavor: The perfect balance of fall flavors between applesauce, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pie spice.
Texture: This cake bakes up soft, fluffy, and moist. It’s even better on day two!
Quick & easy: No mixer needed for this recipe. Two bowls and a whisk is all you need. The batter comes together in minutes and bakes in a 9×13 pan.
Topping options:
Choose the topping that sounds best to you! We’ve enjoyed this cake with the following toppings:
- Cinnamon cream cheese frosting (recipe below)
- Powdered sugar
- Honey
- Whipped cream (try my homemade whipped cream)
What kind of applesauce to use?
I recommend store bought applesauce for this recipe. This produces the most reliable outcome since most store bought applesauces are similar in texture and moisture content. You want unsweetened applesauce. Check the ingredients to make sure there is no added sugar or corn syrup. If you’d like to use cinnamon applesauce you can, just note that the cake will have a stronger cinnamon flavor.
More apple recipes:
APPLE DUMPLINGS
APPLE COBBLER
APPLE BUNDT CAKE
CINNAMON APPLES
BAKED STUFFED APPLES
APPLE FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE
APPLE CIDER DONUT HOLES
Applesauce Cake
Ingredients
Applesauce cake:
- 2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil
- 1/3 cup water
- 1-1/2 cups applesauce*
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- powdered sugar, honey, whipped cream, or cinnamon cream cheese frosting (below)**, for topping
Cinnamon cream cheese frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar, plus more if needed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- cream, half and half, or milk, as needed
Instructions
Applesauce cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 cake pan and set aside.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk oil, water, applesauce, eggs, and sugars. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 20-30 minutes (begin checking it at 20), until the top springs back when you touch it and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a rack to cool.
Cinnamon cream cheese frosting:
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat until combined. Add cream, half and half or milk if needed to thin the frosting, or more powdered sugar to thicken. Increase speed to high and beat for 20-30 seconds. Spread on the cooled cake.
Lisa Bynum says
I have been loving apples lately too! You have the right idea — a slice of this cake with some hot tea would be DIVINE!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I want a slice of that with hot custard poured over it, like right now. Oh my that would be good.
Katie says
What a perfect fall treat! With iceacream for dessert, or with coffee for breakfast. Apples are the best ingredient right now, and the house smells amazing when baking!
Roxana says
It looks like a nice light cake. Great use of applesauce for flavor, moistness, replace oil/butter and also add sweetness.
Sandi says
I would love to eat this with my morning coffee. I bet it would be a great pick me up to start the day.
Tisha says
This looks so amazing a fluffy!!! Love apples and perfect for fall!!
Shanika says
This cake looks and sounds amazing! Plus, I’ve never tried making cake out of Applesauce, but I’m so tempted now!
Helena says
Absolutely right – it is fall, this apple cake is amazing and I want to feel good about making a few bites of it 🙂 Great recipe for a weekend evening!
David @ Cooking Chat says
Looks so nice and moist! A perfect fall recipe! Apple sauce is a nice versatile recipe to have on hand.
laura says
My grandmother use to make this in cake pans and actually ice with Applesauce seasoned with cinnamon and brown sugar. To do this just pour a jar of apple sauce in a cast iron skillet. Add 1 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon and 1/2 cup brown sugar. cook on medium low until it thickens to the consistency of icing, but a little thinner. It will turn dark brown while cooking. It is incredible even on a plain yellow cake
Celebrating Sweets says
That applesauce icing sounds fantastic! Thanks for sharing. 🙂