Applesauce Cake

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This classic applesauce cake is a favorite old-fashioned dessert from my Southern grandma. Sugar, spices, cinnamon applesauce, raisins, and walnuts are baked into a rich and moist irresistible treat.

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5 from 12 votes

Moist and delicious, this old-fashioned applesauce cake is filled with the perfect amount of spices, sugar, cinnamon applesauce, walnuts, and raisins. I’m excited to partner with Musselman’s to bring you this super yummy Southern favorite.

Make sure you also try out our cream puff dessert, chocolate crazy cake and mayonnaise cake, too!

MORE CAKE RECIPES:
Oatmeal Cake | Vanilla Crazy Cake

APPLESAUCE CAKE INGREDIENTS

You will need:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups Musselman’s Cinnamon Applesauce
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped

Musselman’s Cinnamon Apple Sauce is the perfect addition to this recipe. For over 100 years, they have prided themselves with their fresh and delicious fruit products that boast no high fructose corn syrup. All their apples are American grown!

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

You could add chocolate chips, oatmeal, coconut, carrots, or pumpkin to this tasty cake. It’s also delish with just a dash of ginger added.

HOW TO MAKE THIS APPLESAUCE CAKE RECIPE

PRO TIP: You could also bake this recipe in a bundt cake pan, a loaf pan, or make them as muffins! 

STEP ONE: In a small bowl pour the milk and place the raisins in the milk. Let them sit while preparing the rest of the cake.

STEP TWO: In a medium-size bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.

STEP THREE: In a large bowl beat together butter and sugars until mixed. Then, add the eggs and vanilla and beat until mixed together.

STEP FOUR: Follow this by adding, the dry ingredients slowly to the butter/sugar mixture and beat just until combined.

STEP FIVE: Finally, add the applesauce and mix on low just until combined.

STEP SIX: Fold in the raisins and milk mixture as well as the walnuts and mix until just combined.

STEP SEVEN: Prepare a 9×13 pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. Pour cake batter into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes — or until a cake tester in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

If you want to skip the frosting, you could sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar as well.

Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Making the Frosting

1. In a large bowl beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Add the powdered sugar and beat on low until powdered sugar is mostly mixed in.
3. Follow it with the heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon and salt — and mix on medium speed until all smooth and creamy.
4. Once the cake has cooled frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

FREEZING THIS RECIPE:

IN THE FREEZER: I would suggest freezing the cake by itself before topping with the frosting, then add the icing after thawing, before serving. It will store in a well-wrapped, freezer-safe container for two to three months.

This delicious applesauce cake recipe has been a family favorite for generations. It’s so quick and easy to bake and the flavors are irresistible. I love the moist, dense texture and sweet, cinnamon taste. Topped with a fast homemade cream cheese icing, you’re going to love this recipe!

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Busy Day Chocolate Cake
• Caramel Apple Dump Cake
• Banana Bread

Applesauce Cake

This classic applesauce cake is a favorite old-fashioned dessert from my Southern grandma. Sugar, spices, cinnamon applesauce, raisins, and walnuts are baked into a rich and moist irresistible treat.

5 from 12 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 379kcal

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Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ½ cup butter softened
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups cinnamon applesauce
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup walnuts chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small bowl pour the milk and place the raisins in the milk. Let them sit while preparing the rest of the cake.
• Prepare a 9x13 pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
• In a medium-size bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
• In a large bowl beat together butter and sugars until mixed.
• Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until mixed together.
• Add the dry ingredients slowly to the butter/sugar mixture and beat just until combined.
• Add the applesauce and mix on low just until combined.
• Add the raisins and milk mixture and walnuts and mix until just combined.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Once the cake has cooled frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Video

Notes

CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese
½ cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
How to Make Frosting
In a large bowl beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar and beat on low until powdered sugar is mostly mixed in.
Add cream, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and mix on medium speed until all smooth and creamy.

Nutrition

Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 376mg | Potassium: 298mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 304IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 2mg

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