Applesauce Cake

Moist and flavorful, this applesauce cake is sure to be your new favorite recipe! A delicious spice cake with raisins and walnuts topped with a decadent cinnamon cream cheese frosting is a decadent dessert that is sure to please.

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This simple applesauce cake recipe is a delicious blend of spice cake with raisins and walnuts and topped with a decadently rich cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Moist and flavorful, this cake is a mouthwatering classic guaranteed to impress. 

Applesauce Cake Ingredients 

You’ll need:

For the Cake

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups cinnamon applesauce
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped

For the Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Substitutions and Additions 

RAISINS: Golden raisins or sultanas both work great in this recipe. 

ADDITIONS: There are lots of delicious things you can add to this tasty cake, like chocolate chips, oatmeal, coconut, carrots, pumpkin, or a dash of ginger. 

How to Make This Applesauce Cake Recipe 

STEP ONE: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. Pour the raisins and milk into a small bowl and let them sit while you prepare the rest of the cake.

STEP TWO: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.

STEP THREE: Cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Then, add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.

PRO TIP: Be sure to use softened butter in this recipe, so it’s smooth and creamy and combines well with the rest of the ingredients. 

STEP FOUR: Add the dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients and beat just until combined.

PRO TIP: I like to mix the wet and dry ingredients slightly with a wooden spoon or spatula before turning on the electric mixer, as sometimes the dry ingredients can fly out of the bowl!

STEP FIVE: Add the applesauce and mix at low speed just until combined.

STEP SIX: Fold in the raisins and milk mixture as well as the walnuts and mix until just combined.

STEP SEVEN: Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

For the Frosting

STEP ONE: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.

STEP TWO: Add the powdered sugar and beat at low speed until the powdered sugar is mostly mixed in.

STEP THREE: Follow it with the heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and mix at medium speed until all smooth and creamy.

PRO TIP: Occasionally scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl to ensure everything is well combined. 

STEP FOUR: Once the cake has cooled, use an offset or rubber spatula to frost the top of the cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

How To Serve 

Serve this tasty applesauce cake with afternoon or coffee or at the end of a meal. Pair it with a scoop of ice cream and caramel drizzle for extra decadence. 

Storage 

IN THE FRIDGE: Since it has a cream cheese frosting, store any leftover cake in the fridge for up to four days.

IN THE FREEZER: I recommend freezing the cake before topping it with the frosting. Add the icing after thawing and before serving. Store in a well-wrapped, freezer-safe container for two to three months.

This delectable applesauce cake is moist and flavorful, topped with a rich cinnamon cream cheese frosting. It’s the perfect end to any meal or as a delicious afternoon treat.   

FAQ:

Question: Can I use a different-sized pan in this recipe?

Answer: You can bake this cake in a loaf pan, a bundt cake pan, or as muffins. 

Question: I can’t find cinnamon applesauce. Do I need to add more cinnamon to the recipe?

Answer: If you can’t find cinnamon applesauce, I recommend using plain unsweetened applesauce and adding two extra teaspoons of cinnamon to the cake batter. 

Question: Can I freeze this cake?

Answer: I recommend freezing this cake before you frost it. Wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap, place it in a freezer-safe container or bag, and it’ll be good for two to three months. 

Applesauce Cake

Moist and flavorful, this applesauce cake is sure to be your new favorite recipe! A delicious spice cake with raisins and walnuts topped with a decadent cinnamon cream cheese frosting is a decadent dessert that is sure to please.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Ingredients

  

Cake

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ½ cup butter softened
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups cinnamon applesauce
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup walnuts chopped

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• ½ cup butter softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

 

Cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a small bowl, pour the milk and place the raisins in the milk. Let them sit while preparing the rest of the cake.
• Prepare a 9×13-inch pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper and spraying with nonstick spray.
• In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until mixed.
• Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until mixed together.
• Add the dry ingredients slowly to the butter and sugar mixture and beat just until combined.
• Add the applesauce and mix on low just until combined.
• Add the raisins and milk mixture and the walnuts and mix until just combined.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Once the cake has cooled, frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Frosting

• In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
• Add the powdered sugar and beat on low until powdered sugar is mostly mixed in.
• Add cream, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and mix on medium speed until all smooth and creamy.
• Once the cake has cooled, use an offset or rubber spatula to frost the top of the cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Notes

You could also bake this simple recipe in a bundt cake pan, a loaf pan, or make them as muffins!

If you want to skip the frosting, you could sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar instead.

Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature so that you don’t end up with lumps in your frosting.

Keyword Applesauce Cake Recipe