Old-Fashioned Spice Applesauce Cake

Course: Afternoon tea, Dessert, pudding

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 20

Servings: -12 slices

Calories: 519kcal

Author: Jacq

This Old-Fashioned Applesauce Cake can be easily prepared in one bowl, and the cinnamon buttercream frosting is also nice and quick. This is an egg-free and dairy-free recipe so ideal for vegans, those with egg or dairy allergies, and for anyone who loves budget-friendly and old-fashioned baking.

This applesauce cake is especially tasty for autumnal and winter baking, Thanksgiving, Harvest festival, and Christmas & New Year festivities.

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

7 inch square baking pan [such as a cake tin/brownie tin]
Baking paper.
Mixing bowl
mixing spoon
sieve
cooling rack
electric hand whisk [for preparing the frosting or you can prepare by hand with a wooden or mixing spoon, or manual hand whisk]

Ingredients

Cake:

280 grams plain flour [all-purpose or cake flour]
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda [baking soda]
225 grams granulated sugar [or caster sugar]
300 grams smooth applesauce or apple puree
142 grams margarine [we used Stork baking spread which is vegan-friendly, or you can use your usual baking fat]
2 tablespoons milk [we used soya milk, but any milk will do]
45 grams walnuts [chopped, or pecans]
45 grams raisins [or sultanas, dried cranberries are also very nice in this cake]
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon mixed spice powder [or pumpkin pie spice mix or apple pie spice]
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt [we used sea salt]

Frosting: [optional as can simply sprinkle with icing [powdered] sugar]

85 grams margarine [we used Stork baking spread]
225 grams icing sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Garnish:

3 tablespoons walnuts [chopped/broken]

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan) / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
Grease the baking tin with margarine and line with baking paper.
Add all the cake ingredients - plain flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices, salt, raisins, walnuts, applesauce, margarine, milk, and vanilla - to a mixing bowl.
280 grams plain flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 225 grams granulated sugar, 300 grams smooth applesauce or apple puree, 142 grams margarine, 2 tablespoons milk, 45 grams walnuts, 45 grams raisins, 1 teaspoon ginger powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1 teaspoon mixed spice powder, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt
Stir everything together until thoroughly mixed.
Scoop the cake batter into the cake tin and level the surface a little.
Bake on the middle shelf for 45-60 minutes. Fan ovens may bake a bit faster. In our electric oven, the cake usually takes between 50- 60 minutes at 180°C, but start checking at the 45-minute mark, as yours may be ready sooner.
The baked cake will be brown, 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 cooling rack.

Frosting:

Either sprinkle with icing sugar or prepare a cinnamon buttercream 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 or replace it with ginger powder]
85 grams margarine, 225 grams icing sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Using an electric hand whisk whizz the ingredients together for 1-2 minutes until thick and easy to spread over the cake.
Spread the frosting over the cake and sprinkle a few chopped walnuts over to finish.
3 tablespoons 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 container for 3-4 days. Wrap in baking paper if preferred for additional freshness. If your house is very warm it may be best to store within the refrigerator.
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.
Dried cranberries or sultanas are a nice replacement for the raisins.
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 the sauce 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 jarred apple puree in 700 grams for £2.40, and this can do many recipes, also any leftovers can be frozen in ice cube trays if needed. We used jarred apple puree for this recipe.
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. Or replace the cloves or nutmeg for extra mixed spice, etc.
We are a plant-based family so we use vegan-friendly ingredients but you can replace those with your usual milk and margarine/butter.

Nutrition