Applesauce Cake

5 from 3 ratings

This applesauce cake is super moist, soft, and fluffy. Made with unsweetened applesauce and autumn spices, then topped with a maple cream cheese frosting, it is truly the epitome of autumn baking!

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: slices

Author: Chef Lindsey

Ingredients

For the moist cake:

¾ cup unsalted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

For the maple cream cheese frosting:

8 oz brick-style cream cheese full fat, softened
6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or more to taste (be careful, it will make it loose!)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Brown the butter:

In a small saucepan over low heat melt the butter. Small cubed butter will move the process along faster.
Then slowly continue cooking it, stirring occasionally until the solids have browned, the melted butter turns a light amber color, and the whole thing smells like toasted buttered hazelnuts.
Remove from heat and pour into a heat-proof bowl to stop the cooking. Allow to cool while you measure and prepare the batter. When the butter is browned, it weighs 140g.

Make and bake the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F conventional (no fan). Spray with nonstick spray or butter a 9 x9 inch pan or baking dish and line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and ground spices. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together browned butter, still warm, sugars, eggs, vanilla and applesauce. Whisk vigorously until smooth.
Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Careful not to over mix or it could cause tunneling in the cake.
Pour into the prepared pan and spread it into the corners and flatten with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Bake in the preheated oven for 28-35 minutes or until a cake tester, toothpick, or wooden skewer comes out clean. The cake should spring back when lightly pressed.
Cool in the pan before frosting on a wire rack.

Make the maple cream cheese frosting:

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
Add maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat well.
Spread on cooled cake. Slice and serve!

Notes

Yield – 1 9x9 cake

Flavor Tips—For the most well-rounded flavor, make sure to take the brown butter far enough. The butter should start to smell nutty and have brown specks in the foam.

Variations –Grab some unsweetened pear sauce, add some cardamom and diced pears, and you will have a delightful pear sauce cake!

Storage—The applesauce cake can be stored well-wrapped in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Pre-slicing the cake before freezing will make it easier to defrost as many or as few slices as you want.

Nutrition