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Bite taken out of slice of applesauce cake.

Applesauce Cake

Dive into this scrumptious old-fashioned Applesauce Cake! This cake is incredibly soft and moist with a delightful hint of apple and a cozy blend of warm spices. Perfect for sharing or enjoying with a cup of coffee!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 16

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (244 g) unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature

For the Glaze

  • ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
  • ⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream
  • ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (90 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted

Instructions

Make the Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 325℉. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan and line with parchment paper leaving a slight overhang for easy removal.
  • Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together in a small bowl.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar together until smooth. Whisk in the egg and vanilla, followed by the apple sauce.
  • Add the flour mixture and gently fold with a silicone spatula just until combined.
  • Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 to 2 hours. Using the overhang, lift the cake from the pan.

Make the Glaze

  • Combine the brown sugar, cream, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 1 minute exactly. Remove from the heat.
  • Gradually whisk in the powdered sugar until you have a thick but pourable consistency. You may not need all the sugar.
  • Immediately pour the glaze over the cake, moving slowly and evenly to cover as much surface area as possible. Let the glaze set before serving.

Notes

  • Measure the flour correctly! Use a scale or the spoon and level method. Otherwise, the cake could turn out dry.
  • Make sure all the ingredients are brought to room temperature before using them.
  • Look for unsweetened applesauce. There’s sugar in the cake and adding sweetened applesauce will make it sweeter.
Make ahead tip
  • The baked and cooled cake will keep for up to 5 days covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator.
  • The cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.