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Moist Applesauce Cake with Spices

Featured in Irresistible Desserts.

This applesauce cake is a tender, moist dessert loaded with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and a subtle apple flavor. Balanced with a rich cream cheese frosting, it delivers layers of deliciousness perfect for any occasion. Whisk together dry ingredients, blend wet ingredients, and fold them together to bake a soft, incredibly flavorful cake. Let it cool before layering with a fluffy, velvety cream cheese frosting. Store in the fridge and savor either cooled or warmed to room temperature for the ultimate treat!

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Casey
Updated on Thu, 08 May 2025 18:38:20 GMT
A slice of applesauce cake on a white plate. Pin it
A slice of applesauce cake on a white plate. | cookrisp.com

This applesauce cake has been my family's go-to dessert for generations, delivering nostalgic flavors with a perfectly moist crumb. The combination of warm spices and sweet apple creates a comforting treat that rivals even the best carrot cake.

I first made this recipe during autumn apple season five years ago, and it immediately became my daughter's birthday cake request every year since. The house fills with the most incredible aroma while it bakes.

Ingredients

  • All purpose flour: provides the perfect sturdy yet tender structure for this moist cake
  • Baking soda and baking powder: work together for the ideal rise and texture
  • Salt: enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness
  • Ground cinnamon: forms the backbone of the spice profile with warm familiar notes
  • Ground ginger: adds a subtle zing that wakes up your taste buds
  • Nutmeg and allspice: bring complexity and depth to the spice blend
  • Granulated sugar and brown sugar: combine for the perfect sweetness and moisture
  • Eggs: provide structure and richness to hold everything together
  • Unsweetened applesauce: is the star ingredient adding moisture and subtle apple flavor
  • Vegetable oil: ensures the cake stays incredibly moist for days
  • Vanilla extract: rounds out all the flavors with its warm aromatic quality
  • Cream cheese and butter: create an irresistibly tangy frosting that complements the spiced cake

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the Baking Dish:
Preheat your oven to exactly 350°F and thoroughly spray your 13×9 baking dish with nonstick spray, making sure to get the corners. A metal pan will produce more defined edges while glass might require a few extra minutes of baking time.
Mix the Dry Ingredients:
Whisk together the flour, leavening agents, salt, and all spices for a full 30 seconds. This thorough mixing ensures the spices and leaveners distribute evenly throughout the batter, preventing any surprise pockets of spice or uneven rising.
Cream the Wet Ingredients:
Beat the sugars and eggs for a full two minutes until noticeably lighter in color. This incorporates air into the mixture which helps create a tender crumb in the finished cake. The mixture should fall from the beaters in ribbons when properly beaten.
Combine Wet Mixtures:
Add the applesauce, oil, and vanilla to the sugar mixture and blend until completely incorporated. The mixture might look slightly curdled which is perfectly normal at this stage due to the different consistencies of ingredients.
Form the Batter:
Make a well in your dry ingredients before adding the wet mixture. This prevents flour from flying everywhere and makes it easier to gently incorporate everything. Fold with a spatula using a gentle hand just until no dry flour remains visible. The batter should look lumpy and not perfectly smooth.
Bake to Perfection:
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and gently wiggle it to create an even layer. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, checking at the 30 minute mark by inserting a toothpick in the center. The cake is done when the toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Cool Completely:
Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature. For faster cooling you can place it in the refrigerator, but never frost a warm cake or your frosting will melt.
Make the Frosting:
Beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla starting on low speed to prevent a sugar cloud, then increasing to high. Whip for a full 3 to 4 minutes until the frosting becomes light, fluffy and holds its shape when the beater is lifted.
Frost and Serve:
Once the cake is completely cool, spread the frosting in an even layer across the top. For a more decorative appearance, use the back of a spoon to create swirls and peaks in the frosting before slicing.
A slice of applesauce cake on a white plate. Pin it
A slice of applesauce cake on a white plate. | cookingwithcasey.com

My grandmother always insisted on using homemade applesauce for this recipe, claiming the natural sweetness of fresh apples made all the difference. While store bought works perfectly well, I make this with homemade applesauce at least once during apple season in her honor.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What makes this cake moist?

This cake is incredibly moist due to the addition of applesauce, which adds natural moisture and softness, and vegetable oil, which keeps the texture rich.

→ Can I use sweetened applesauce instead of unsweetened?

Yes, but be mindful that sweetened applesauce will add more sugar. You may want to slightly reduce the sugar in the recipe to balance the sweetness.

→ How do I ensure the frosting stays fluffy?

To achieve a fluffy frosting, whip the cream cheese and butter on high speed after combining the ingredients. If the frosting becomes too soft, chill it briefly to firm it up.

→ How should I store this cake?

Store the cake covered in the refrigerator. You can serve it cold or let it come to room temperature for a softer texture and enhanced flavor.

→ Can I freeze the cake?

Yes, you can freeze the cake without the frosting. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. Frost it after thawing for best results.

Soft, Moist Spiced Applesauce Cake

A moist and tender spiced applesauce cake with cream cheese frosting, rich in flavor and irresistibly soft.

Prep Time
30 Minutes
Cook Time
30 Minutes
Total Time
60 Minutes
By: Casey


Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 15 Servings

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

→ Cake

01 2 1/4 cups (318 g) all-purpose flour
02 1 tsp baking soda
03 1 tsp baking powder
04 3/4 tsp salt
05 2 tsp ground cinnamon
06 1 tsp ground ginger
07 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
08 1/4 tsp ground allspice
09 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
10 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
11 2 large eggs
12 2 cups (490 g) unsweetened applesauce
13 3/4 cup (175 ml) vegetable oil or canola oil
14 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

15 8 oz cream cheese, nearly at room temperature
16 6 Tbsp (85 g) butter, soft
17 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
18 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Step 01

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Step 02

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice for 30 seconds. Make a well in the center and set aside.

Step 03

In another large mixing bowl, add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs. Using an electric hand mixer, beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add applesauce, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract, then blend until combined.

Step 04

Pour the wet mixture into the well in the dry mixture. Gently fold and stir until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will be lumpy.

Step 05

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and wiggle the pan to level the batter. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a moist crumb.

Step 06

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack. For faster cooling, place it in the fridge.

Step 07

In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Using an electric hand mixer with clean beaters, blend on low speed until combined. Increase speed to high and whip until light and fluffy. If needed, chill frosting in the freezer in 3-minute increments, stirring between intervals, until firm.

Step 08

Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled cake. Slice and serve.

Notes

  1. Cover and store the cake in the fridge. It can be served cold or at room temperature.

Tools You'll Need

  • 13x9-inch baking dish
  • Mixing bowls
  • Electric hand mixer
  • Wire rack
  • Non-stick cooking spray

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Contains dairy (cream cheese, butter).
  • Contains eggs.
  • Contains gluten (all-purpose flour).

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 320
  • Total Fat: 15 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 45 g
  • Protein: 3 g