Applesauce Cake Recipe
Easy applesauce cake with unsweetened applesauce, pantry staples, and a cinnamon cream cheese topping. No peeling or chopping apples needed!
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup avocado oil
- 1½ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Topping
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup apple butter optional, for swirling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla, and whisk until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until no flour streaks remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 28–30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before adding the topping.
- To make the cream cheese topping, place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread evenly over the cooled cake. If using, add small spoonfuls of apple butter on top and use the back of a spoon to gently swirl it into the cream cheese topping.
Notes
My Top Tip: Let the cake cool all the way through. A warm center can soften the cream cheese topping even if the edges feel cool. Wait until the middle of the cake and the bottom of the dish no longer feel warm before frosting.
Storage: Cover the frosted cake and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Wrap the cooled, unfrosted cake or individual slices tightly, place in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then add the topping before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 474mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 81IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 2mg
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