Old-fashioned spice applesauce cake is as simple as dumping all the vegan ingredients into a bowl, mixing and baking. The cinnamon butter cream frosting is just as easy whipped up using the all-in-one method.This applesauce cake is especially tasty for autumn and fall baking, Thanksgiving, and for the Festive, Holiday season.
7 inch square baking pan [such as a cake tin/brownie tin]
parchment paper [baking paper]
Mixing bowl
sieve
electric hand whisk [for frosting/or whip it by hand with wooden or mixing spoon]
Ingredients
Cake:
280gramsplain flour[cake flour or all-purpose flour]
1 ½teaspoonbaking powder
1teaspoonbicarbonate of soda[baking soda]
225gramscaster sugar
300gramsapple sauce[or apple puree, can use shop bought jarred apple sauce such as Colemans, but use an immersion blender or small food processor to blend to a puree if necessary]
142gramsvegan margarine[such as Stork baking spread]
2tablespoonssoya milk[or your usual milk]
43gramswalnuts[chopped]
43gramsraisins[or sultanas]
1teaspoonginger powder
1teaspooncinnamon powder
1teaspoonmixed spice powder[or pumpkin pie spice/or apple pie spice]
¼teaspoonground cloves
1teaspoonground nutmeg
½teaspoonsalt
Frosting: [optional as can simply sprinkle with powdered/icing sugar]
85gramsvegan margarine[or vegan butter/or use Stork baking spread]
225gramsicing sugar[powdered sugar]
¼teaspooncinnamon powder
1teaspoonvanilla essence
3tablespoonwalnuts[chopped]
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 160 Fan/ 180C / 350 Fahrenheit / Gas 4.
Grease the baking tin with margarine and line with parchment paper.
Add all the cake ingredients, plain flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices, salt, raisins, walnuts, apple sauce, margarine, milk, and vanilla, to a mixing bowl.
Scoop the cake batter into the cake tin and level the surface a little.
Bake on the middle shelf for 55-60 minutes. Fan ovens may take a few minutes quicker to bake. Our electric oven cooked the cake at 180C for 60 minutes.
Cake will be browned, risen, firm and a skewer popped in will come out clean.
Leave to cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
Frosting:
Either sprinkle with powdered [icing] sugar or prepare a cinnamon butter cream frosting.
For the butter cream frosting add the margarine, icing sugar, cinnamon powder, vanilla, and one tablespoon of water to a mixing bowl.[if preferred omit the cinnamon]
Using an electric hand whisk whizz the ingredients together for 1-2 minutes until thick and easy to spread over the cake.
Spread over the cake and sprinkle a few chopped walnuts over to finish.
3 tablespoon walnuts
Notes
Nutritional information is for guidance only and is not an exact calculation as ingredients vary.
Applesauce cake can be stored at room temperature within a cake tub/display/container for 3-4 days. Wrap in parchment paper also if preferred for additional freshness. If your house is very warm it may be best to store within the refrigerator.
Or keep in the refrigerator, wrapped with a layer of parchment paper and kitchen foil.
Unfrosted cake can be frozen for 3-4 months, well wrapped. The frosted cake can also be frozen but the icing texture may be affected.
If a simpler topping is preferred then just sprinkle icing/powdered sugar over the applesauce cake.
Omit the raisins and walnuts if preferred.
Stork baking spread was used for the cake, as well as for the frosting.
Homemade apple sauce can be used for this cake, simply stew chopped apples with a little water until they are very soft. Mash well or puree with an immersion/stick blender. Shop bought apple sauce such as Colemans, or shops own brands of apple sauce can also be used but if they are chunky or diced then blend or mash well before use.
Health shops/wholefood stores often sell apple puree which is just 100% apples and compared to apple sauce it is not too expensive. Our health store has apple puree 700 grams for £2.40, and this can do many recipes, also it can be frozen in ice cube trays if needed.
For the different spices if you do not have the individual ones available then just use 3-4 teaspoons of: either mixed spice powder, apple pie spice mix, or pumpkin pie spice mix.