January 17, 2023
Review RecipeApplesauce Cake
This classic applesauce cake is a favorite old-fashioned rich and irresistible treat.
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Moist and delicious, this old-fashioned applesauce cake is filled with the perfect amount of spices, sugar, cinnamon applesauce, walnuts, and raisins. All the flavors of fall make this cake a cozy choice when the weather is cool.
Make sure you also try out our mayo cake and chocolate crazy cake, too!
Applesauce Cake Ingredients
You’ll need:
For the Cake
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground 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
For the Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
ADD-INS: You could add chocolate chips, oatmeal, coconut, carrots, or pumpkin to this tasty moist cake. It’s also delish with just a dash of ginger added.
RAISINS: Sultana or golden raisins would both work fine in this sweet cake recipe.
How To Make This Applesauce Cake Recipe
Our Recipe Developer Says
You could also bake this simple recipe in a bundt cake pan, a loaf pan, or make them as muffins.
STEP ONE: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. 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 bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Set flour mixture aside.
STEP THREE: In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until mixed. Then, add the eggs and vanilla and beat until mixed together.
STEP FOUR: Add the dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients and beat just until combined.
STEP FIVE: Add the applesauce and mix at low speed just until combined.
STEP SIX: Fold in the raisins and milk mixture as well as the walnuts and mix until just combined.
STEP SEVEN: Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
For the Frosting
PRO TIP:
If you want to skip the frosting, you could sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar instead.
STEP ONE: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
PRO TIP:
Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature so that you don’t end up with lumps in your frosting.
STEP TWO: Add the powdered sugar and beat at low speed until the powdered sugar is mostly mixed in.
STEP THREE: Follow it with the heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and mix at medium speed until all smooth and creamy.
STEP FOUR: Once the cake has cooled, use an offset or rubber spatula to frost the top of the cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
How To Serve
Serve this easy cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side and a drizzle of caramel sauce on top for an extra decadent treat. This sweet cake would be a lovely alternative to a traditional birthday cake.
MORE CAKE RECIPES
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Since the frosting has cream cheese in it, we’d recommend storing any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
IN THE FREEZER: I would suggest freezing the cake by itself before topping it with the frosting. Add the icing after thawing, before serving. It will store in a well-wrapped, freezer-safe container for two to three months.
This delicious moist 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 warm spices. Topped with a fast homemade cream cheese icing, you’re going to love this recipe!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What if I can’t find cinnamon applesauce in the store?
We would suggest using plain unsweetened applesauce and then adding two extra teaspoons of cinnamon in place of the cinnamon applesauce.
Can I freeze this homemade cake?
This delicious applesauce cake freezes well although we would recommend freezing it unfrosted and waiting to add the frosting until you are ready to serve.
Can I store this cake on the counter?
Since the frosting contains cream cheese, we’d recommend keeping the cake in the fridge.
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Applesauce Cake
This classic applesauce cake is a favorite old-fashioned rich and irresistible treat.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 12
Ingredients
Cake
- 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 extract
- 2 cups cinnamon applesauce
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- 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 9×13-inch pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper and spraying with nonstick spray.
- In a medium-sized 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 and sugar mixture and beat just until combined.
- Add the applesauce and mix on low just until combined.
- Add the raisins and milk mixture and the walnuts and mix until just combined.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Once the cake has cooled, frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
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.
- Once the cake has cooled, use an offset or rubber spatula to frost the top of the cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
Video
Notes
- You could also bake this simple recipe in a bundt cake pan, a loaf pan, or make them as muffins!
- If you want to skip the frosting, you could sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar instead.
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature so that you don’t end up with lumps in your frosting.
Nutrition
Calories: 638kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 554mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 60g | Vitamin A: 834IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 2mg
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Comments
Dianne Gravel says
So delicious
Sharon Clarke says
This looks wonderful! Would it work to make it as a 2-tiered cake, using round pans? I want to make it as a birthday cake. Thanks!
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Sharon – I haven’t tried that so I’m not sure how well it would hold up!
Angela says
DELICIOUS!! I made it today.
Mark says
Fabulous cake. The cinnamon cream cheese icing really put it over the top.
Ellen Johnson says
I didn’t have raisins so I used dried cranberries and it was yummy. No frosting but it is good plain.
Sarah says
What a great recipe! I might try skipping the caramel sauce and adding shredded zucchini or carrots. Yummy!
Roxanne says
Delicious! Such a great way to use up applesauce!
The batter seemed a bit ‘loose’ but the cake turned out perfectly.
Will make again. Thank you for this recipe!
Peg says
Easy to make and delicious.
Dixie Blizzard says
Best applesauce cake & so easy to make!