Description
Grandma’s Applesauce Cake is a moist and flavorful cake that combines the natural sweetness of applesauce with warm spices and a tender crumb. This classic recipe features a soft texture with optional additions of walnuts or raisins for a delightful bite. Finished with a simple powdered sugar glaze, it’s perfect for an afternoon treat or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk (or regular milk)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or raisins (optional)
Glaze Ingredients
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat the applesauce, granulated sugar, and softened butter together until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat until well incorporated.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves (if using), and salt.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined—do not overmix.
- Add mix-ins (optional): Gently fold in the chopped walnuts or raisins, if using.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before transferring to cool completely on the wire rack.
- Make the glaze (optional): In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract to form a smooth glaze. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled cake.
- Serve: Slice the cake and serve as is or with a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy your moist and flavorful applesauce cake!
Notes
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a plant-based margarine and use almond or soy milk for both buttermilk and glaze.
- Adding chopped nuts or raisins is optional but adds great texture and flavor.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter to maintain a tender crumb.
- Store leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Glaze is optional, but it adds a lovely sweet finishing touch.
