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Applesauce Bundt Cake

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close up shot of a cake drizzled with caramel sauce with a slice being taken away on a cake stand
This applesauce bundt cake is a delightful moist cake that is loaded with warm caramel and apple flavors.
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Table of Contents
  1. Applesauce Bundt Cake Ingredients
  2. How to Make This Applesauce Bundt Cake Recipe
  3. How To Serve
  4. Storage
  5. More Recipes You’ll Love
  6. JUMP TO RECIPE

This mouth-watering applesauce bundt cake is deliciously spiced and has a perfectly moist texture. The delightful cake is made with tart applesauce and drizzled with a sweet caramel glaze that is the perfect way to enjoy the flavor of apples all year long. We’re proud to partner with Musselman’s Apple Sauce to bring you this original dessert recipe.

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For more tasty recipes made with applesauce, our applesauce cake and applesauce cookies are two of our favorites.

close up shot of a cake drizzled with caramel sauce

Applesauce Bundt Cake Ingredients

applesauce bundt cake raw ingredients that are labeled

You’ll need:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon apple pie spice blend
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 1¾ cups Musselman’s Applesauce
  • 1½ cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Your favorite store-bought salted caramel sauce

PRO TIP:

If you do not want to buy a large jar of Musselman’s Applesauce for this recipe, you can use 2 (6-ounce) Big Cups for kids. They are sold as a four-pack where you find canned fruits at your grocery store. You can save the other 2 cups for future recipes or send them in your child’s school lunch.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

CARAMEL SAUCE: If you would like to make your caramel sauce from scratch, check out our caramel sauce recipe here. Make sure you warm it up slightly if it isn’t easily pourable.

APPLE PIE SPICE: If you do not have an apple pie spice blend, you can substitute that with a mixture of 2¼ teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon cloves.

OIL: If you do not have vegetable oil, canola or avocado oil will work just as well in this applesauce cake recipe. You want to make sure it is a light and neutral oil. Coconut or olive oil will NOT work for this recipe as they will impart too much of their flavor to the cake, and it will not be as delicious.

close up shot of jars of musselmans applesauce
Musselman’s has a wonderful history of being apple experts. Since 1907, they have been grower-owned, with 100% of their apples coming from America. Their handpicked apples from family farms create a high-quality and delicious product you can feel good serving your family. Their large, multi-serve jars are perfect for baking. You’ll find them in Original, Unsweetened, and Cinnamon.

How to Make This Applesauce Bundt Cake Recipe

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with baker’s spray. Set it aside.

STEP TWO: In a medium bowl, add the all-purpose flour, apple pie spice blend,

baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.

dry ingredients added to a bowl

STEP THREE: In a large bowl, add the eggs, Musselman’s Applesauce, light brown sugar, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. 

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

When measuring your brown sugar, make sure to pack it into the dry measuring cup. This ensures an accurate measurement. You do not need to do this with granulated (white) sugar.

wet ingredients blended together in a bowl

STEP FOUR: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix the wet ingredients for 1 minute. 

STEP FIVE: Add half the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix for 30 seconds. Add the remaining half of the flour mixture to the bowl and mix for an additional 30 seconds or until the batter is smooth and all the flour has been incorporated. You will want to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that the cake batter is evenly mixed.

flour mixture added to the bowl of wet ingredients

STEP SIX: Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake cake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted comes out clean. 

cake batter poured into a bundt pan then baked

STEP SEVEN: Once your cake has been baked, using a long toothpick or wooden skewer, poke a lot of little holes all over the top of the cake which, once flipped out of the bundt pan, will actually be the bottom of your cake.

holes poked on the top of the cake with a toothpick

STEP EIGHT: With your ¾ cup warm caramel sauce, you will very slowly drizzle it onto the warm cake, allowing the caramel sauce to soak into all the tiny holes. You can use a spoon to gently ease any standing caramel sauce into all the holes.

caramel glaze drizzled on top of the baked cake

STEP NINE: Let the cake cool in the bundt pan for 30 to 45 minutes before flipping it onto a serving plate. You will want to make sure that all the caramel sauce has soaked into the cake before removing it from the pan.

STEP TEN: Once you have plated your applesauce bundt cake, you can take your reserved ½ cup caramel sauce and drizzle it over the top of the cake for garnish. You may need to re-warm the caramel sauce if it has cooled too much and has started to firm up. You can easily do this in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.

PRO TIP:

If you do not wish to either soak your cake with the caramel or garnish the top with it, you can store your remaining caramel sauce in a sealed jar, in the refrigerator, for up to a month. It makes a wonderful ice cream topping. You will want to remove the lid and microwave it for 15 to 30 seconds to warm it up enough to make it pourable before use.

more caramel sauce drizzled on top of the cake

How To Serve

This delicious applesauce cake is the perfect dessert to serve when you welcome company. It looks beautiful and tastes as delicious as it looks. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side with a little extra drizzle of caramel sauce right before serving.

close up overhead shot of a cake drizzled with caramel sauce

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: You can store your spiced applesauce cake in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I do not suggest leaving it out at room temperature for more than 24 hours as the caramel will make the cake too soggy. 

IN THE FREEZER: Once the cake has cooled, you can wrap it in plastic wrap and then in a large Ziploc bag. It will keep in the freezer for up to three months.

close up shot of a slice of cake drizzled with caramel sauce on a plate

This amazing applesauce cake is one of the moistest cakes you’ll ever have thanks to the caramel sauce that is soaked into the cake once it is baked. A slice of this divine cake is perfect for dessert or an afternoon snack along with a cup of tea or coffee.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I flip the cake without making a mess?

To easily invert cake, lay a flat plate over the top of the cake pan. Carefully flip the cake over onto the plate. Bang on the bottom of the pan for good measure, then lift the pan off.

Can I freeze this cake?

This easy cake recipe will keep in the freezer for up to three months. Once cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap and then a Ziploc bag.

What size of bundt cake pan should I use for this recipe?

You will want to use a 12-cup bundt pan for this applesauce cake recipe.

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close up shot of a cake drizzled with caramel sauce with a slice being taken away on a cake stand

Applesauce Bundt Cake

5 from 80 votes
This applesauce bundt cake is a delightful moist cake that is loaded with warm caramel and apple flavors.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon apple pie spice blend
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • cups Musselman’s Applesauce
  • cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Homemade Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with baker’s spray. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, add the all-purpose flour, apple pie spice blend,
  • baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, Musselman’s applesauce, light brown sugar, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
  • Using a handheld mixer on medium speed, mix the wet ingredients for 1 minute.
  • To the wet ingredients, add half the flour mixture and mix for 30 seconds. Add the remaining half of the flour mixture to the bowl and mix for an additional 30 seconds or until the batter is smooth and all the flour has been incorporated. You will want to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that the batter is evenly mixed. Do not overmix, or you will get a dense cake.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Once your cake has been baked, using a long toothpick or wooden skewer poke a lot of little holes all over the top of the cake (which once flipped out of the pan will actually be the bottom of your cake).
  • With your ¾ cup warm caramel sauce, you will very slowly drizzle it onto the cake, allowing the caramel sauce to soak into all the tiny holes. You can use a spoon to gently ease any standing caramel sauce into all the little holes.
  • Allow the cake to cool in the bundt pan for 30 to 45 minutes before flipping it onto a serving plate. You will want to make sure that all the caramel sauce has soaked into the cake before removing it from the pan.
  • Once you have plated your applesauce bundt cake, you can take your reserved ½ cup caramel sauce and drizzle it over the top of the cake for garnish. You may need to re-warm the caramel sauce if it has cooled too much and has started to firm up. You can easily do this in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.

Caramel Sauce

  • In a very clean, 3-quart saucepan, add the granulated sugar and water. With your heat on medium-high, cook the sugar and water for 5 to 6 minutes. Do not disturb, or stir, the sugar until it starts to get a light gold color.
  • Once your sugar starts to get a little golden in color, you can very gently stir it with a whisk to prevent hot spots in your caramel and cook it for another 2 to 3 minutes. Make sure you are stirring every few seconds until your sugar reaches a medium gold color. Watch your caramel sauce very closely at this point, as it can go from light to burnt very quickly. Turn off the heat.
  • Add the heavy cream and whisk until it is incorporated. Be careful as your caramel will bubble up rapidly.
  • Once your heavy cream is fully incorporated, add the butter and whisk until the butter has fully incorporated into the caramel.
  • Finally, add the vanilla extract and salt. Stir to combine.
  • You will have about 1 ¼ cups of caramel sauce. Transfer ½ cup to a small liquid measuring cup to save for a decorative drizzle on the top of the cake.
  • You will use the remaining ¾ cup caramel sauce to soak into the applesauce cake while it is warm. See step 8 above

Notes

  • If you do not want to buy a large jar of Musselman’s applesauce for this recipe, you can use 2 (6-ounce) Big Cups for kids. They are sold as a four pack where you find canned fruits at your grocery store. You can save the other 2 cups for future recipes or send them in your child’s school lunch.
  • When measuring your brown sugar, make sure to pack it into the dry measuring cup. This ensures an accurate measurement. You do not need to do this with granulated (white) sugar.
  • Do not overmix, or you will get a dense and tough cake.
  • If you do not wish to either soak your cake with the caramel or garnish the top with it, you can store your remaining caramel sauce in a sealed jar, in the refrigerator, for up to a month. It makes a wonderful ice cream topping. You will want to remove the lid and microwave it for 15-30 seconds to warm it up enough to make it pourable before use.

Nutrition

Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 412mg | Potassium: 193mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 333IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 2mg
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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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  1. Elizabeth Lewis says

    Absolutely amazing! Very moist. I didn’t poke the holes to drizzle the sauce in but I made a different caramel glaze to drizzle on top of cake. This cake is nice and light too. Great texture

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