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My applesauce cake is super moist and tender, and needs just one bowl to whip up! No oil, no dairy, and no eggs are needed, but you’d never tell.
Love baking with applesauce? Try my applesauce cookies, applesauce brownies, applesauce pancakes, and applesauce bread next.
Applesauce, to me, is one of life’s magic ingredients. It’s an essential ingredient for healthy baking and is often used to replace butter and oil. It keeps baked goods moist and tender and cuts down on the sugar needed, thanks to its natural sweetness.
While it is often used to replace fat, it can also be used to amp up some apple flavors, like in my fabulous applesauce cake recipe.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Basic ingredients. My cake uses pantry staples that you probably have in your pantry right now, and no eggs or milk, either!
- Quick and easy. With less than two minutes of hands-on time, this cake is very much foolproof.
- Perfect texture and taste. Okay, I know I shouldn’t play favorites, but this cake nails the texture. It’s super moist and fluffy in the middle and has a tender crumb. It tastes like fall with a subtle apple and cinnamon flavor.
Ingredients needed
- Flour. Either all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour.
- Baking soda and baking powder. Both leavening agents are used to give the cake some rise and fluffiness.
- Ground Cinnamon. A must for any recipe calling for applesauce, AND it is a fabulous Fall flavor.
- Milk of choice. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk will work.
- Vinegar. Vinegar is used because it curdles when mixed with the milk, and replaces the need for any eggs. I used white vinegar, but apple cider vinegar should be fine.
- Unsweetened applesauce. Be sure to use 100% unsweetened applesauce. Plenty of brands have added sugar, so double-check to be sure.
- Sugar. While white or brown sugar works, I prefer the latter as it yields a richer cake with a super moist middle.
- Butter OR vegan butter. To keep this recipe vegan, I used vegan butter but standard unsalted butter works. You can also use a neutral flavored oil, like vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any good cake recipe.
- Vanilla frosting. Optional, but I can never say no to frosting! I used a simple cream cheese frosting.
- Walnuts. It is optional, but I sometimes like to toss a handful of crushed walnuts into the batter.
How to make applesauce cake
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Make the cake batter: Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set that aside. In a separate bowl, add the milk, vinegar, applesauce, sugar, and softened butter, and whisk until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes so the vinegar can thicken the mixture. After 5 minutes, add the dry mixture and mix until combined.
Step 2- Bake the cake: Pour the batter between two cake pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out just clean.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Oven makes and models differ. It took me 20 minutes to bake my cakes completely, but you may need 25-30 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake and if it comes out clean, the cake is ready to be removed.
- You can use homemade applesauce, but be sure it is completely smooth and has a thin texture. If your applesauce is too thick, simply run it through a blender or food processor.
- Add more fall spices into the cake batter, like nutmeg, cloves, and even a touch of ginger.
- If you notice the tops of the cake browning a little too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil to prevent over-cooking the outsides.
- If you want to make a single-layer cake, simply halve the ingredients.
Storage instructions
To store: If you don’t frost the cake, you can store the cake at room temperature. Keep it in a sealable container with a paper towel on top. It will keep well for 5 days. If you’ve frosted your cake, you must store it in the refrigerator. Cover it in plastic, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze: Leftover applesauce spice cake can be placed in a freezer-friendly container and stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator.
Frequently asked questions
When made with vegan butter or oil, this cake contains no dairy and is suitable for those following a vegan diet.
I’ve tried this cake using a gluten-free flour blend, and it worked well. Just remember to choose a gluten-free flour that contains xanthan gum.
More easy cakes to try
Applesauce Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 cups milk I used unsweetened almond milk
- 3 tablespoon vinegar
- 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
- 2 cups sugar white, brown, coconut, or sugar free subs
- 1 1/3 cups butter softened, dairy free or standard
- 1 cup cream cheese frosting or preferred frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Prepare two 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray and parchment paper and set them aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon, and mix well. Set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together milk, vinegar, butter, sugar, and the applesauce, until combined and glossy. Let sit for 5 minutes. Combine your wet and dry ingredients.
- Distribute the batter among the two baking pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out just clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, layer the cake by adding frosting between them and on top.
How did you do the apples on the sides of the cake that you show in your pictures?! They look great.
Hi! Freeze dried apples on the frosting
I love to read your articles because your writing style is too good, it is very very helpful for all of us and I never get bored while reading your article because, they are becomes a more and more interesting from the starting lines until the end.
But CAN you use eggs instead of the vinegar if you eat eggs?? And if so, how many??
Nope, not unless you change up all the other ingredient amounts.
Hi! I’m baking this now and I’m super excited! I was wondering if you have any vanilla protein powder substitutions for the frosting? Thanks in advance!
Hi there! Simply use your favorite vanilla frosting instead 🙂
Hello, I’ve tried to make this cake twice now and no matter how long I bake it it doesn’t set – what could be the problem??? 🙁 I want to eat this so badly!!!
Hi Meli! Did you substitute any of the ingredients at all? Also which version did you try?
I made the original version and used an egg instead of the flax replacer for all three trys – On my first attempt I used maple syrup instead of coconut sugar – I assumed it was too much liquid so for my second attempt I used coconut sugar , 2 & 2/3 oatmeal flour and 1/3 CupforCup GF flour (instead of all oatmeal to soften the texture) and I still had a gushy inside after an hour of baking. I made it again a third time and cut all the liquids in half – 1/2 cup sugar free apple sauce, 1/2 cup almond milk, and 3 T almond butter and it turned out much better, even after an hour of baking. Unfortunately it’s not as fluffy as it could be or as your photos look, but at least I can finally eat it!! I think the next time I do this (I’m determined) I will use 2/3 of the liquid not just half and see how it turns out. I’m also 1, 045 meters above sea level so I’m not sure if that makes a difference in the amount of flour I use?
I am curious- do you tell the calorie count for your recipes? Sounds way too yummy to be lowcal too.
Sometimes, but you can easily calculate them too 🙂
Hi, your frosting is the only one I can find that doesn’t use a ton of confectioner’s sugar! I’m wanting to try this for my daughter’s 2nd birthday cake. I’m really hoping it works out and looks and tastes as good as your pics. I just need to know how much cream cheese to use for an 9″ pan, please.
Hi Gizella! The cream cheese can be as thick or thin as you want- I love a thick frosting, so used a full 225 gram (8 oz) tub, softened 🙂
I have yet to try this, but it sounds like it’ll be great. My littlest is lactose intolerant, I’m wheat intolerant and love to bake! This recipe makes me very happy.
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear about both your dietary restrictions- Hopefully this recipe can be of solace 🙂
Is it possible to use whey protein instead of casein, as that is what I have on hand?
Hi Christina! I haven’t had success with whey, as I find it really changes up the texture unfortunately- Even making it into a ‘frosting’ has this dilemma- It’s increasingly sticky and hard to work with.
What do you think about subbing coconut oil for nut butter in the original option? I only have peanut butter on hand and am thinking the flavor might come through too well.
Hi Melissa! I have used coconut oil in place of nut butter before and it works well- It might just be slightly more tender 🙂
I noticed that you put 1 cups of apple sauce in this recipe twice. Just wondering if it’s a typo?
Hi Susan- Apologies, one is for the original version and one is for the paleo option 🙂
Hi,
I cannot have eggs, and I cannot have oats either, gluten free or otherwise. The Paleo version uses too many eggs for flax egg replacer, so I wonder if I could make the regular version with the flax egg and use Tapioca or Almond flour to substitute for the oat flour??
Hi Sonya- I’ve never tried that version, but please let me know if you do- I’d love to know!
I traveled with Neil for his work when I wasn’t working and we had to stay in a hotel Mon-Fri for a couple weeks. We were used to making smoothies every day, but didn’t have a blender and didn’t want to buy them. So we stocked up on all the baby food we could and had our fruits and vegetables that way. IT WAS DELICIOUS.
omg. That is so funny. Baby food in place of fruit and veggies.