The Best Applesauce Cake Recipe for a Perfectly Moist Dessert Every Time
I was walking past my neighbor’s house last month when I was hit by this smell. I’m not kidding – I literally stopped mid-step and just stood there sniffing the air like some weirdo. It was this amazing mix of cinnamon and something sweet that I couldn’t figure out.
My neighbor Janet comes out and sees me standing there like an idiot and goes, “Want some cake?” Um, obviously yes. She brings me this slice of what looked like regular spice cake, but when I took a bite… holy crap. It was the moistest, most perfect cake I’d ever had. And when I asked what her secret was, expecting some fancy ingredient or family recipe passed down for generations, she just laughed and said “applesauce.”
That’s it. Freaking applesauce.
I’ve been making this cake non-stop ever since, and now everyone thinks I’m some kind of baking genius. Spoiler alert: I’m not. This cake is just that good and that foolproof.
Table of Contents
Why Everyone Else Gets Applesauce Cake Wrong
I’ve tried probably 20 different apple cake recipes over the years. Most of them suck. They’re either dry as the Sahara or so dense you could use them as doorstops. The problem is that most people think they can just dump applesauce into any old cake recipe and call it a day.
Wrong.
The thing about applesauce is it has this natural stuff called pectin – the same thing that makes jam thick. When you bake with it, the pectin creates these tiny pockets that trap moisture. That’s why this cake stays soft for days while regular cake turns into cardboard overnight.
But here’s where everyone screws up: they replace ALL the fat with applesauce. Terrible idea. You need a little bit of oil to carry the flavors and give you that melt-in-your-mouth texture. No fat = cardboard cake. Too much applesauce = weird gummy mess.
This recipe gets it right. You’ll slash the fat by more than half compared to regular cake, but it still tastes incredible. Plus, your house will smell like fall had a baby with a bakery.
What You Need (And What You Can Skip)
The Must-Haves
| What | How Much | Why | If You’re Out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsweetened applesauce | 1 cup | This is the star | Pumpkin puree works too |
| Regular flour | 2 cups | Structure | Whole wheat is fine, add more liquid |
| Sugar | 1 cup | Sweet + texture | Brown sugar is actually better |
| Eggs | 2 big ones | Glue that holds it together | Flax eggs if you’re vegan |
| Vegetable oil | 1/3 cup | The crucial fat bit | Melted coconut oil |
| Vanilla | 2 tsp | Don’t cheap out here | Almond extract is nice too |
| Baking soda | 1 tsp | Makes it fluffy | Just buy some, it’s like $2 |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp | The good stuff | Pumpkin spice works |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp | Makes everything taste better | Whatever you have |
The Real Scoop on Ingredients
Look, I’ve tested this with fancy organic applesauce and the cheap stuff from Walmart. Honestly? Both work fine. The expensive stuff tastes maybe 2% better, but unless you’re trying to impress your mother-in-law, save your money.
Chunky vs smooth applesauce is totally up to you. Chunky gives you little apple bits throughout the cake, which some people love. Smooth makes it more uniform. I usually grab whatever’s on sale.
One thing that matters: get your eggs to room temperature. I know, I know, who remembers to take eggs out 30 minutes before baking? I sure don’t. Just stick them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. Problem solved.
How to Actually Make This Thing
Get Your Crap Together First
I used to just start throwing ingredients together like some kind of baking cowboy. Bad idea. Spend 10 minutes getting organized, and you won’t end up frantically searching for vanilla extract while your batter sits there getting weird.
- Turn your oven to 350°F
- Grease a 9×13 pan really well – I use butter because it tastes better
- Dust it with flour and shake out the extra
- Line up all your ingredients like you’re on a cooking show
- Warm up those eggs if they’re cold
The Mixing Part (Don’t Screw This Up)
This is where most people either overmix everything to death or undermix and end up with flour bombs in their cake.
Mix the wet stuff: Throw the applesauce, eggs, oil, and vanilla in your biggest bowl. Whisk the hell out of it for like 2 minutes until it’s smooth and shiny. This part you literally cannot overmix, so go nuts.
Deal with the dry stuff: In another bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. If you have a sifter, use it. If not, just whisk really well to break up any lumps.
The crucial part: Add the dry stuff to the wet stuff in three batches. Use a rubber spatula and fold it together gently – like you’re folding towels, not beating the crap out of it. Mix just until you can’t see dry flour anymore, then STOP. I’m serious. Stop mixing.
Your batter should pour easily but not be watery. Too thick? Add a splash of milk. Too thin? Sprinkle in a bit more flour.
Baking Without Burning
Spread the batter in your pan and stick it in the oven. Set a timer for 30 minutes and then start checking. Every oven is different, so don’t just trust the recipe time.
It’s done when:
- The middle springs back when you poke it
- The edges are pulling away slightly
- A toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs
- Your kitchen smells amazing
Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before you do anything else. I know it’s torture, but trust me on this.
Don’t Be Like Me (Learn From My Mistakes)
I’ve screwed up this recipe in every possible way, so you don’t have to:
Overbaking it: This cake goes from perfect to sawdust in about 3 minutes. Check it early and often.
Overmixing: Once flour goes in, be gentle. Tough cake is gross cake.
Wrong pan size: Using a different pan screws up the timing completely. Stick with 9×13.
Bad storage: This cake gets better after a day, but only if you cover it properly.
Ways to Jazz It Up
Variations That Don’t Suck
| Version | Add This | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spice cake | 1/4 tsp nutmeg + pinch cloves | Cut cinnamon to 3/4 tsp |
| Chocolate chip | 1 cup mini chips | Toss in flour first |
| Caramel apple | 1/2 cup caramel sauce | Swirl it in |
| Healthier version | Replace 1 cup flour with whole wheat | Add 2 tbsp more applesauce |
| Gluten-free | GF flour blend + 1 tsp xanthan gum | Make sure your blend doesn’t already have it |
Seasonal Stuff
Fall: Add chopped walnuts and maple syrup. Duh. Winter: Dried cranberries and orange zest. Spring: Lemon zest and poppy seeds. Summer: Fresh blueberries (toss in flour first).
What to Put on Top
Cream cheese frosting is the obvious choice. Beat 8 oz cream cheese with 1/2 cup butter until fluffy, then add 4 cups powdered sugar and 2 tsp vanilla. The tanginess cuts the sweetness perfectly.
Cinnamon buttercream is just regular buttercream with 2 tsp cinnamon added. Easy and delicious.
Caramel glaze looks fancy, but takes 30 seconds. Just warm up store-bought caramel until it’s runny and drizzle it over.
Powdered sugar dusting is for when you’re feeling lazy but want it to look nice.
Making It Last
Here’s the best part – this cake gets better with time. The flavors blend, and it gets even moister. At room temperature, covered, it’s perfect for 4 days. In the fridge, a full week.
You can freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge.
Pro tip: Make this the day before you need it. It’ll taste even better, and you’ll have one less thing to stress about.
Plan Ahead (For Once)
Mix the dry ingredients up to a week ahead and store in a container. Wet ingredients can be mixed the night before and kept in the fridge.
The batter holds for about 2 hours at room temperature if you cover it. Perfect for when you’re cooking a million things at once.
It’s Kind of Healthy (For Cake)
Look, it’s still cake. But compared to regular cake, this is practically health food:
| Thing | Regular Cake | This Cake | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 380 per slice | 285 per slice | 95 fewer |
| Fat | 18g | 7g | Way less |
| Fiber | 1g | 3g | Actually has some |
The applesauce adds vitamins and antioxidants, plus you’re cutting out tons of saturated fat and weird preservatives.
When It Goes Wrong
Dense cake: Too much flour or overmixing. Measure flour by spooning it in; don’t scoop.
Sunken middle: Underbaked, or you opened the oven too early. Be patient.
Dry cake: Overbaked. Check earlier next time.
Weird rising: Your oven sucks. Rotate the pan halfway through.
Questions People Actually Ask
“Can I use the sweetened applesauce I already have?” Yeah, but cut the sugar by 1/4 cup, or it’ll be disgustingly sweet.
“I don’t have vegetable oil.” Melted coconut oil works. So does melted butter. Just let it cool first.
“Can I make cupcakes?” Sure. Fill liners 2/3 full, bake 18-22 minutes. You’ll get about 24.
“This is too sweet/not sweet enough.” Next time, adjust sugar by 1/4 cup either way. Right now, serve with unsweetened whipped cream or dust with more powdered sugar.
“How do I know it’s done?” Toothpick with a few moist crumbs. Not wet, not bone dry.
Just Make the Damn Cake
Seriously, stop overthinking this. It’s cake, not rocket science. You probably have everything you need in your kitchen right now.
This isn’t one of those finicky recipes that fail if you breathe on it wrong. It’s forgiving and delicious and makes your house smell incredible.
Your family doesn’t need a special occasion to eat homemade cake. Tuesday is a perfectly good day for cake. So is Wednesday. Or any day ending in ‘y’.
Go make it. Right now. Thank me later.
