This soft, moist applesauce cake is packed with wholesome ingredients and a delicious classic apple flavor your whole family will love.
The best applesauce cake
If you’ve been on a search for the best homemade applesauce cake recipe around, this one will not let you down!
Light and fluffy, with just 9 ingredients (yes, really), it is everything you could ever hope for in a healthy Fall dessert.
The cake is easy to make and kid friendly, with no eggs or dairy required. It can even be oil free. This is a really great way to use up extra applesauce.
Also try this popular Crustless Pumpkin Pie
“Absolutely wonderful! Moist, flavorful, and leftovers are going to be great for breakfast without feeling unhealthy. With just a little powdered sugar and sliced strawberries on top. Next time I might add some crushed walnuts to the batter.”
-Mina
*Featured comment*
Healthy applesauce cake from scratch
The first time I ever tried an applesauce cake was one November night back in high school, at a friend’s sleepover birthday party.
Trying to be healthier, she had substituted the oil in a boxed spice cake mix with applesauce.
Not normally a fan of low fat cakes or baked goods, I remember being so impressed with how moist and tender the cake was even without added fat.
Over the years, I’ve come up with my own old fashioned applesauce cake that does not rely on a box. Cake from scratch always tastes better.
It envelops the entire kitchen in a sweet cinnamon aroma as you are baking and makes you want to cozy up next to a warm fireplace, fork in hand.
How to make the recipe
Step one: Start by gathering the ingredients and greasing an 8-inch baking pan or lining it with parchment paper.
Step two: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, whisk all liquid ingredients, then stir in remaining ingredients to form a batter.
Step three: Smooth the batter into the prepared baking pan. Place it on the oven’s center rack to cook for 18 minutes or until perfectly fluffy. Let cool.
Step four: Frost as desired, and serve. If you can wait, the cake is even sweeter and better textured a day after it’s made.
I recommend refrigerating leftovers for freshness, and they should be good for about 3-4 days. Or slice and freeze for up to a month.
Apple cake frosting options
The apple spice cake can be dusted with powdered sugar or iced with a basic glaze or with melted coconut butter.
You can also top it with Coconut Whipped Cream, store bought vanilla frosting, dairy free ice cream, or the homemade cream cheese frosting recipe below:
Simply whip together 8 oz packaged or homemade cream cheese or Vegan Cream Cheese with 4 oz butter or vegan butter, 2 cups powdered sugar (unrefined if desired), and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract.
Applesauce snack cake ingredients
For the applesauce: Either sweetened or natural unsweetened applesauce works. And if you wish to use homemade applesauce, that works too!
For the flour: I’ve successfully made the recipe with spelt flour (for a whole grain option), regular all purpose flour, or oat flour for a gluten free cake. In general, I am not a fan of baked goods with whole wheat flour, so sub that at your own risk.
If you prefer a flourless cake, try either this Keto Birthday Cake or my Almond Flour Banana Bread.
For the sweetener: I used unrefined coconut sugar for the cake in the photos. However, regular white or brown sugar or unrefined cane sugar also work. Granulated erythritol or xylitol are likely fine to use as well, although I haven’t tried them here.
Step by step recipe video
Above, watch the video showing how to make an applesauce cake.
The recipe was adapted from this Vegan Cake and from my Apple Bread.
Applesauce Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tbsp oil or additional applesauce
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups flour (white, spelt, or oat)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon and optional 1/4 tsp allspice
- optional 1/2 cup raisins, chopped walnuts, or shredded coconut
Instructions
- To make homemade applesauce cake, first preheat the oven to 350 F. Whisk liquid ingredients, then add all remaining ingredients to form a batter. Smooth into a greased or lined 8-inch pan. Bake 18 minutes on the oven's center rack. Let cool, then frost as desired. The cake will taste even sweeter the next day!View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
More Healthy Cake Recipes
Hello, does the oven refer to the conventional (static) or fan-assisted (ventilated) mode? Tnx!
Did I read the recipe right there are no eggs?
First time making a vegan applesauce cake & this recipe is delicious. Moist & tender with just the right amount of spice. I put it in a Bundt pan & it was gone in less than a day! Will be using this as my go-to recipe in the future!
Simple and so easy to make . I used unsweetened applesauce and it was just enough sweetness. I topped mine with a cinnamon buttercream frosting – I used the buttercream recipe from Handle the Heat and added a teaspoon of cinnamon. (A bit of a splurge, but super yummy.). Raisins and coconut added to the flavor and texture.
I also made the applesauce muffins which I didn’t frost. For these I included raisins and pecans. My husband topped his with butter and ate too many for breakfast ( not to mention three pieces of the cake the night prior. Thank goodness he has a fast metabolism and runs and bikes. This cake would do him in if not.
I will make this again and again.
Hi! Wondering if I can sub lemon juice for the vinegar? I wasn’t sure if it’s about flavor or more about a necessary chemical reaction?
Thanks! Looking forward to making this!
Very light and delicious cake, even if in my case it did not turn out super moist.
And absolutely true: “The cake will taste even sweeter the next day!”
Thanks a lot for the recipe!
Simple recipe, healthy and delicious! My husband loved it, no icing needed.
Thank you!