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Applesauce Cake

Applesauce cake with warm spices and a tender, moist crumb, baked in a 9x13 pan and finished with cream cheese frosting. The frosting is swirled on top after the cake cools completely for clean slices and a fluffy texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Applesauce Cake
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp allspice
  • 0.25 tsp cloves
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1.5 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup walnuts or raisins optional
For cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 0.25 cup butter
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the applesauce cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350F, then grease a 9x13 pan.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and salt.
  3. Beat unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy, then add eggs and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
  4. Stir in unsweetened applesauce, then fold in the flour mixture until just combined.
  5. Fold in walnuts or raisins if using.
  6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool completely.
Make and spread the cream cheese frosting
  1. Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
  2. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the cake fully before frosting so the cream cheese frosting doesn’t melt or slide. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze unfrosted cake layers for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge, then frost). For a lower-sugar option, use a reduced-sugar powdered sugar in the frosting and slightly reduce granulated sugar by 2-3 tbsp.