Applesauce Cake Recipe

Applesauce Cake is incredibly moist, lightly spiced with cinnamon and ginger, and so easy to throw together with pantry staples. Whether you frost it with tangy cream cheese frosting or enjoy it plain with a cup of coffee.

Love More Cake Recipes? Try My Chocolate Pound Cake or this Angel Food Cake next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Incredibly moist and tender — the applesauce keeps this cake soft for days
• Warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice create that cozy, nostalgic flavor
• Simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry
• Perfect for any occasion — potlucks, Sunday dinners, or a quiet afternoon treat
• Freezer-friendly and make-ahead, so you can bake now and enjoy later

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Cake

• 2¼ cups (318 g) all-purpose flour — the base that holds everything together
• 1 teaspoon baking soda — helps the cake rise and stay fluffy
• 1 teaspoon baking powder — extra lift for a tender crumb
• ¾ teaspoon salt — balances the sweetness and enhances flavor
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon — warm and comforting
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger — adds a gentle kick
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg — cozy and aromatic
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice — rounds out the spice blend beautifully
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar — sweetness that’s just right
• ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar — adds moisture and a hint of molasses flavor (break up any clumps!)
• 2 large eggs — binds everything and adds richness
• 2 cups unsweetened applesauce — the secret to incredible moisture
• ¾ cup (175 ml) vegetable oil — keeps the cake soft and tender
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract — a touch of warmth

For the Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional)

• 8 oz cream cheese, nearly room temperature — tangy and creamy
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, soft — richness and smoothness
• 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar — the perfect sweetness
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract — brings it all together

Note: The cake is absolutely delicious on its own, so the frosting is totally optional depending on your mood!

Why These Ingredients Work

The applesauce and oil combo is the secret to keeping this cake incredibly moist for days.

Applesauce adds natural sweetness and a subtle fruity flavor that makes those warm spices sing.

The spice blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice creates that cozy, nostalgic flavor. It reminds you of grandma’s kitchen on a Sunday afternoon.

Using both white and brown sugar gives you perfect sweetness plus extra moisture.

The brown sugar adds a hint of caramel that makes the cake taste rich and special.

Baking soda and baking powder work together to create a tender, fluffy crumb. Never dense, always light.

And that cream cheese frosting? The tangy sweetness is exactly what this spiced cake needs!

Essential Tools and Equipment

• 13×9-inch baking dish — the classic sheet cake pan
• Two large mixing bowls — one for wet, one for dry
• Whisk — for combining dry ingredients evenly
• Electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer) — makes quick work of the batter and frosting
• Rubber spatula — for folding and scraping
• Measuring cups and spoons — accuracy matters!
• Toothpick or cake tester — to check for doneness
• Wire cooling rack — lets air circulate for even cooling

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep & Preheat

Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and get it nice and toasty. Grease your 13×9-inch baking dish generously with butter or nonstick spray, making sure to get into all the corners.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice until everything is evenly distributed.

Make a little well in the center and set this aside while you prepare the wet ingredients. This well will make mixing so much easier in a moment!

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients

In another large bowl, beat together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs on medium speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture looks pale, fluffy, and slightly increased in volume.

Now add the applesauce, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract, mixing until everything is fully combined and smooth. Don’t worry if it looks a little separated at first—it’ll all come together!

Step 4: Combine Batter

Pour your wet mixture into that well you made in the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold and stir everything together just until you don’t see any streaks of flour.

A few small lumps are perfectly fine—overmixing can make your cake tough, so be gentle here. Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and smooth the top with your spatula.

Step 5: Bake

Slide the pan into your preheated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

The cake should be golden brown and spring back lightly when touched. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before frosting—I know it’s hard to wait, but warm cake and cream cheese frosting don’t mix well!

Step 6: Make Frosting & Finish

Once your cake is completely cool, it’s frosting time! Beat the cream cheese and butter together on low speed until they’re combined and smooth.

Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light, fluffy, and absolutely dreamy. Spread it evenly over your cooled cake using an offset spatula or butter knife. Slice into generous squares and serve!

You Must Know

The most important thing with this recipe is to let your cake cool completely before frosting it. If the cake is even slightly warm, the cream cheese frosting will melt and slide right off. Nobody wants that mess! It usually takes about an hour for the cake to cool fully, so be patient.

Another key point is not to overmix your batter once you combine the wet and dry ingredients. Mix just until the flour disappears—those few small lumps will bake out and give you a more tender cake.

And here’s my tip: I always use unsweetened applesauce rather than the sweetened kind so I have complete control over the sweetness level. If you only have sweetened applesauce on hand, reduce the granulated sugar by about ¼ cup.

Personal Secret: For an extra layer of flavor, I sometimes add a tablespoon of molasses to the wet ingredients. It deepens that warm, cozy flavor and makes the cake taste even more nostalgic and old-fashioned. Trust me on this one!

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Break up brown sugar clumps before measuring to ensure even distribution and avoid pockets of concentrated sweetness
• Room temperature matters — make sure your cream cheese and butter are soft but not melted for the fluffiest frosting
• Use a light hand when folding the batter together; overmixing develops gluten and creates a tougher cake
• Test early — start checking for doneness at 30 minutes since ovens vary; you want moist crumbs, not a dry cake
• Double the recipe easily — this batter works beautifully in two 9-inch round pans for a layer cake (bake for 25-30 minutes)
• Skip the mixer if you don’t have one; a whisk and some elbow grease work just fine for this forgiving recipe
• Grease well — even nonstick pans benefit from a good coating to ensure easy release

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

This recipe is wonderfully flexible and loves a little creativity!

For extra texture: Fold in a cup of chopped walnuts or pecans. They add crunch and pair beautifully with the warm spices. Raisins are another classic choice that brings chewy sweetness to every bite.

More apple flavor: Mix in a cup of finely diced fresh apples along with the applesauce. You’ll get little tender pockets of fruit throughout.

Lighter topping: Skip the cream cheese frosting and drizzle on a simple glaze instead. Just whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until pourable.

Kid-friendly twist: Stir in a handful of chocolate chips. Trust me, kids go crazy for this combination!

Fancy it up: Dust the frosted cake with cinnamon or scatter some candied pecans on top. So pretty for company!

Holiday version: Replace half the applesauce with pumpkin puree. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving and tastes like fall in cake form.

Make-Ahead Options

This cake actually tastes better the next day! The flavors have time to meld and deepen overnight.

Bake ahead: Make the cake up to two days early. Once it’s cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature. Frost whenever you’re ready.

Prep the frosting: Whip up the cream cheese frosting a day ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Let it sit out for 30 minutes before spreading so it’s nice and soft.

Freeze for later: This cake freezes beautifully for up to three months. Wrap the unfrosted cooled cake in plastic wrap, then foil. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, bring to room temperature, and frost.

Individual slices: Freeze frosted slices wrapped individually for quick treats. They thaw on the counter in about an hour—perfect for lunchboxes or unexpected guests!

What to Serve With Applesauce Cake

This cake is delicious on its own with hot coffee or tea. But if you want to dress it up, here are some ideas!

Classic pairings: A scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream turns it into a real dessert. Both melt into the warm cake in the most amazing way.

Cozy drinks: Serve it with warm apple cider or spiced chai for the ultimate autumn afternoon.

Brunch table: It’s wonderful alongside scrambled eggs and bacon. The sweet and savory combo just works!

Surprising match: Sharp cheddar or creamy brie on a cheese board pairs beautifully with the spiced cake. I know it sounds odd, but try it!

Holiday spread: It fits right in on a dessert table next to pumpkin pie and sugar cookies.

Allergy Information

This recipe contains wheat (gluten), eggs, and dairy (in the optional frosting).

For gluten-free: Substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. The results are quite good!

For dairy-free: Skip the cream cheese frosting or use dairy-free cream cheese and vegan butter alternatives. The cake itself is naturally dairy-free if you leave off the frosting.

For egg-free: Try using flax eggs instead (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes). The texture will be slightly denser but still delicious.

The recipe is naturally nut-free unless you choose to add walnuts or pecans as a variation.

Storage & Reheating

If your cake is frosted with cream cheese frosting, store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

You can serve it cold straight from the fridge or let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes for a softer texture.

Unfrosted cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

To reheat individual slices, pop them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds for that just-baked warmth.

For freezer storage, wrap slices individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

The cake defrosts quickly at room temperature in about an hour, or you can speed things up in the microwave.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use homemade applesauce instead of store-bought?

Absolutely! Homemade applesauce works beautifully and might even give you better flavor. Just make sure it’s unsweetened and relatively smooth. If yours is chunky, give it a quick blend or mash before adding it to the batter.

Can I make this as cupcakes instead?

Yes! This batter makes about 24 cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners about two-thirds full and bake at 350°F for 18-22 minutes, checking with a toothpick. They’re perfect for lunch boxes and bake sales!

Do I really need all those spices?

The blend of spices is what makes this cake special, but you can simplify! If you only have cinnamon, use 1 tablespoon total. Or try 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice for a shortcut that still tastes wonderful.

Can I cut the sugar if I’m using sweetened applesauce?

Good thinking! If you only have sweetened applesauce, reduce the granulated sugar by about ¼ cup. Taste your applesauce first—if it’s very sweet, you might want to reduce it even more.

💬 Tried this Applesauce Cake? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and rating below, and tell me if you went with the cream cheese frosting or enjoyed it plain.