Applesauce Cake
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
This applesauce cake is soft, moist and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. It’s loaded with fall spices and topped with a delicious cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
One of my favorite fall recipes to make whenever I have a ton of apples on hand is homemade applesauce. I recently made a big batch and was trying to think of different ways to use it. Usually I’ll make my vegan apple bread or apple cinnamon baked oatmeal cups with leftover applesauce, but I was in the mood for something new. Cue this applesauce cake!
This cake stays incredibly moist thanks to the applesauce and is jam-packed with warm fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. And don’t even get me started on the cinnamon cream cheese frosting… it complements the spiced cake perfectly and is definitely the best part, IMO! I can’t wait for you to try this one!
Table of Contents
“One of the best cake I’ve ever had! Absolutely delicious. It’s soft, fluffy, tasty, perfect amount of sweetness, and easy to make! It has a bit of a Christmas vibe to it, so I’ll definitely be making it again next Christmas. 😉 Thank you for this marvelous recipe!”
Why I Love This Applesauce Cake
- Naturally sweetened with no refined sugar: Maple syrup and applesauce do all the sweetening here. The cake is plenty sweet without any white sugar in sight.
- The applesauce keeps it incredibly moist: This is not a dry, crumbly cake. The applesauce adds moisture to every bite so it stays tender for days, which also makes it a great make-ahead dessert.
- That cinnamon cream cheese frosting: Tangy cream cheese, maple syrup, and a generous hit of cinnamon whisked together into something that honestly steals the show. I have put it on everything since I developed this recipe.
- Simple enough for a weeknight, impressive enough for a crowd: One bowl, no mixer for the cake itself, 35 minutes total. Isaac requests this every single fall and I never get tired of making it.
Ingredients Needed
- all-purpose or white whole wheat flour – this forms the base of your cake. I love using white whole wheat flour for a bit of added nutrition while still keeping the texture light and fluffy, but regular all-purpose flour works too.
- cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves – these warm spices giving this cake that perfectly cozy, spiced flavor that pairs so well with the applesauce.
- unsweetened applesauce – the star of the show! Applesauce adds natural sweetness and moisture to the cake, keeping it tender and delicious.
- pure maple syrup – the primary sweetener. Use pure maple syrup here, not pancake syrup which is loaded with corn syrup. Honey works as a swap if you prefer a more subtle sweetness.
- avocado oil – a healthy fat that keeps the cake moist without overpowering the other flavors. You can also use melted coconut oil, butter or any neutral oil you prefer.
- eggs – help bind the ingredients together and give the cake structure.
- cinnamon cream cheese frosting – the combo of the fall spices + cream cheese is pure perfection. I used my healthy cream cheese frosting recipe as the base and then added cinnamon!
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions
- Make it gluten-free: I haven’t tested it, but you could try a gluten-free all purpose blend for the flour in this recipe. My favorite is Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour. You can also try my healthy apple cake instead, which is made with almond and oat flour.
- Make it dairy-free: To make this cake dairy-free, skip the frosting all together or you can use dairy-free cream cheese and yogurt alternatives for the frosting. Brands like Kite Hill or Miyoko’s make excellent dairy-free cream cheese that will work perfectly in this frosting.
- Make it vegan: I haven’t tried it, but you could try swapping the eggs with flax eggs or chia eggs to make this cake vegan. And you’ll want to swap the frosting with a dairy-free option. Let me know if you try it in the comments below!
- Swap the frosting: I love the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, but you can certainly use your favorite homemade or store-bought frosting. See below for some ideas!
How to Make Applesauce Cake
Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl add your flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Stir to combine.
Step 2: In a separate large bowl add your applesauce, eggs, maple syrup, oil and vanilla. Whisk together until smooth and combined.
Step 3: Gradually add the dry ingredients to your wet ingredients. Stir to combine, making sure to not over-mix! Add mix-in’s if using.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top out. Bake for 22-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Step 5: While the cake is cooling make the cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
Step 6: Once the cake has cooled, top it with the cream cheese frosting. Cut, serve, and enjoy!
Brittany’s Tips!
- Use unsweetened applesauce: This is non-negotiable. Sweetened applesauce has added sugar and will throw off the balance of the entire cake. Check the label before you bake.
- Do not overmix: Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined even if a few streaks of flour remain. Overmixing develops the gluten and leads to a dense, tough cake instead of a tender one.
- Cool completely before frosting: I cannot stress this enough. If the cake is even slightly warm the frosting will melt right into it. Let it cool fully on a wire rack before you go anywhere near it with the frosting.
- Soften your cream cheese fully: Cold cream cheese will not whip smooth no matter how long you mix it. Pull it out of the fridge at least an hour before making the frosting for the best result.
- The cake tastes even better the next day: Once the frosting has had time to set and the spices have had time to meld, this cake reaches its full potential. Make it the day before if you can.
Frosting Ideas
I love serving this cake with the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, but feel free to skip the frosting or swap it out with a different frosting. Here are some ideas:
- Vanilla buttercream – Use a store-bought buttercream or make this easy vanilla buttercream frosting at home. You can still add cinnamon for a spiced buttercream frosting.
- Chocolate – If you’re a chocolate lover, consider topping this cake with a rich chocolate frosting. Use store-bought or make this simple homemade healthy chocolate frosting.
- Simple glaze – If you prefer something less rich you could top the cake with melted coconut butter or make a simple glaze made from powdered sugar, a touch of vanilla extract and a little milk.
- Powdered sugar – For the simplest topping, a dusting of powdered sugar can add a touch of sweetness without overpowering the cake’s natural flavors. This is ideal if you’re short on time or ingredients.
How to Store Applesauce Cake
Fridge: Let the cake cool completely before storing. If unfrosted, it will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Once frosted, store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 to 7 days. I actually think this cake tastes best cold straight from the fridge, the frosting firms up and the spices really come through.
Freezer: To freeze, wrap the unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting and serving. You can also slice the frosted cake and freeze individual pieces with parchment between each slice for easy grab and go servings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes and I actually recommend it. This cake tastes even better the next day once the spices have had time to meld and the frosting has set. Bake it the day before, let it cool completely, frost it, and store it in the fridge overnight. It will be at its absolute best the next morning.
Yes. Pour the batter into a lined muffin tin and reduce the bake time to around 15 to 18 minutes. Start checking at 15 minutes with a toothpick. Top with the cinnamon cream cheese frosting once fully cooled.
Always unsweetened. Sweetened applesauce has added sugar that will throw off the balance of the whole cake. Store-bought unsweetened works great but homemade applesauce is even better if you have it on hand.
Oven temperatures vary and the moisture content of different applesauce brands can affect bake time. Start checking at 22 minutes but do not be surprised if your cake needs closer to 30 to 35 minutes. The toothpick test is your best guide, not the clock.
Absolutely. The cake is delicious on its own and does not need the frosting to shine. A light dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup works beautifully as a simpler topping.
More Apple Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Applesauce Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose or white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup pure maple syrup or honey
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup chopped nuts or raisins, optional
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, full fat, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup Greek yogurt, I used plain full fat
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.1 ½ cups all-purpose or white whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, whisk together the unsweetened applesauce, maple syrup or honey, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and well combined.1 cup unsweetened applesauce, ½ cup pure maple syrup or honey, ¼ cup avocado oil, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Gently stir in the chopped nuts or raisins if using.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 22-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While cake is cooling, make cream cheese frosting by adding all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer on medium speed to whip all the ingredients together until smooth and fluffy (about 5 minutes), scraping down the sides as needed. If your frosting is turning out runny, just keep whipping it and it should turn out thick and fluffy. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer.8 oz cream cheese, ½ cup Greek yogurt, ¼ cup maple syrup, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Once the cake has cooled, top with cream cheese frosting. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- Storage: Store frosted cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 to 7 days or freeze unfrosted for up to 3 months.
- Swap the frosting: I love the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, but you can certainly use your favorite homemade or store-bought frosting. This vanilla buttercream frosting or peanut butter yogurt frosting would also be delicious options!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Really delicious. I added both walnuts and raisins ground ginger (because every cake is better with ginger!!~!) and cooked it for 28 minutes. Also I used part all purpose flour and part whole wheat. No need for frosting — the cake was moist and sweet! Thank you!
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear, Carolyn. Loved hearing about your swaps and that the cake still baked up so moist. Thanks for making the recipe and for coming back to share your review, it means the world to me.
This cake was ridiculously delicious! I didn’t add the cream cheese frosting as I didn’t have any cream cheese at home. I can’t imagine how amazing this cake must be with the cream cheese if it’s that good with nothing. I’m thinking of adding a bit of maple syrup on top! It would also taste good with bits of apple inside it!
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear. I’m glad you loved this cake. Maple syrup on top would be delicious and so would some apple chunks inside the cake. You’ll have to come back and let me know if you try it. 🙂
I tried the maple syrup and ohhh my, it was so good!!!
Yum, maple syrup on top was such a good call!
One of the best cake I’ve ever had! Absolutely delicious. It’s soft, fluffy, tasty, perfect amount of sweetness, and easy to make! It has a bit of a Christmas vibe to it, so I’ll definitely be making it again next Christmas. 😉 Thank you for this marvelous recipe!
Yay! This makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad you loved this cake, Anna. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
This was great! Smelled delicious coming out of the oven. I used 1 cup all purpose plus 1/2 c wheat flours sifted and it worked nicely. Reduced the sugar by half since it had frosting. Kids loved it 🙂
Oh yay!! This makes me so happy to hear, Kim! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment and star rating!
Amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing, Kim. I’m so glad this cake turned out for you with less sugar. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a star rating. I so appreciate it!
Can you use almond flour and olive oil to replace regular flour and avocado oil?
Hi Gina – I would recommend my Apple Cake recipe if you are looking for a GF recipe. Let me know if you give it a try!
do you think this could be made into cupcakes? It sounds absolutely delicious.
Hi Linda! I haven’t tried it, but I bet these would work great at cupcakes. You would need to bake them for a shorter amount of time, so you’ll want to keep an eye on them, let me know how they turn out. Enjoy!
we really enjoyed this. I recommend using pumpkin pie spice if you’re out of any spices! our cook time was longer then mentioned. it turned out great!
Hi Lea! I am glad you gave this recipe a try and it turned out great for you. How much longer did you need to bake? Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, I appreciate it!
Mine took far longer too. (35 minutes)