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    Home » Recipes » Cakes

    Cinnamon Applesauce Cake

    Published: Oct 9, 2018 · by Kim Lange · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    14.2K shares
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    'Awesome' Cinnamon Applesauce Cake
    'Awesome' Cinnamon Applesauce Cake
    'Awesome' Cinnamon Applesauce Cake
    'Awesome' Cinnamon Applesauce Cake
    ‘Awesome’ Cinnamon Applesauce Cake

    This 'Awesome' Cinnamon Applesauce Cake is exactly what I needed to kick off the season this Autumn! Are you ready to *swoon and sniff* baked, scented apple and cinnamon aromas swirling around your cozy, little home?

    Let me tell you, THIS moist luscious applesauce 'cake'....It's BEYOND magnificent!

    cinnamon applesauce Cake

    So, don't mind me.....While I sit here and eat this Cinnamon Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting while I write this post, without you here! 🙂  I hope I'm not being being rude as I stuff another bite into my mouth...yum!

    This cake definitely screams Fall!  It's so moist, apple-iciously bliss, homey, cozy and did I mention MAGNIFICENT??   I believe I did cover that, right?  The brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg flavors infused in this Applesauce Cake are intoxicating!

    cinnamon applesauce Cake

    The Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is to die for! 

    Because this cake is so moist, it will last more days than the usual cake.  In fact, on the 3rd day, it is still as fresh as it was baked the first day. 

    It can even last a week, but I really doubt you're going to have a chance to sample it by then, because I'm 100% sure, it's going to get gobbled down by whomever is in your home, guaranteed!! 🙂

    'Awesome' Cinnamon Applesauce Cake

    Ingredients You Need

    'Awesome' Cinnamon Applesauce Cake

    • all-purpose flour
    • baking powder
    • baking soda
    • salt
    • cinnamon
    • nutmeg
    • unsalted butter 
    • brown sugar
    • vanilla extract
    • eggs
    • unsweetened applesauce
    • Optional: ½ cup walnuts and/or ½ cup raisins

    Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

    • cream cheese 
    • unsalted butter 
    • vanilla extract
    • confectioners sugar
    • cinnamon

    'Awesome' Cinnamon Applesauce Cake

    How to Make Applesauce Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F and butter an 8- or 9-inch square cake pan. (I've used a 9 inch pan and an angel food cake pan)

    Cinnamon Applesauce Cake

    1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
    2. Beat softened butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
    3. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in applesauce.
    4. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined, then stir in walnuts or raisins if using.
    5. Spread batter evenly in pan and bake until golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.
    6. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert onto a plate.
    7. Re-invert cake onto a rack to cool completely.

    Frosting

    1. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy.
    2. Slowly add in confectioners sugar and cinnamon into cream cheese mixture, then beat at medium speed until incorporated.
    3. Spread frosting over top of cooled cake.
    4. Keep frosted cake in fridge.

    More Tips

    • If you would like to make these into cupcakes, bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees and double the frosting if you want to frost them generously.
    • If baking the cake in advance, you can wrap it and freeze it until the day you need it. Leave it out to defrost and frost it up to a day in advance.

    'Awesome' Cinnamon Applesauce Cake

    For more Apple-icious recipes, try these tasty yums!

    • Easy Dutch Crumble Apple Pie Bars
    • Country Apple Fritter Muffins
    • 25 Apple-icious Desserts That'll Tempt You
    • Awesome Country Apple Fritter Bread!  Definitely a fave!
    • Beyond Yummy GF Maple Cinnamon Apple Crisp
    • 25 Heavenly Desserts
    • Easy Gooey Caramel Apple Monkey Pull Apart Bread
    • Caramel Glazed Apple Crumble Coffee Cake
    • Apple Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
    • Cinnamon Applesauce Bread
    'Awesome' Cinnamon Applesauce Cake

    'Awesome' Applesauce Cake {Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting}

    Kim Lange
    This Autumn inspired 'Awesome' Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is so moist, apple-iciously bliss, homey, cozy and did I mention MAGNIFICENT?? I'll take 2!!
    3.48 from 21 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course Dessert
    Servings 9
    Calories

    Ingredients
      

    'Awesome' Applesauce Cake

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1 stick unsalted butter softened
    • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
    • Optional: ½ cup walnuts and/or ½ cup raisins

    Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 5 oz cream cheese softened
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
    • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup confectioners sugar
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°F and butter an 8- or 9-inch square cake pan. (I've used a 9 inch pan and an angel food cake pan)

    Cake

    • Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
    • Beat softened butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
    • Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in applesauce.
    • At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined, then stir in walnuts or raisins if using.
    • Spread batter evenly in pan and bake until golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.
    • Cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert onto a plate.
    • Re-invert cake onto a rack to cool completely.

    Frosting

    • Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy.
    • Slowly add in confectioners sugar and cinnamon into cream cheese mixture, then beat at medium speed until incorporated.
    • Spread frosting over top of cooled cake.
    • Keep frosted cake in fridge.

    Notes

    Delish!
    If you would like to make these into cupcakes, bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees and double the frosting if you want to frost them generously.
    If baking the cake in advance, you can wrap it and freeze it until the day you need it. Leave it out to defrost and frost it up to a day in advance.
    Keyword applesauce, cake, cinnamon, cream cheese frosting, fall desserts
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    « Halloween Reese's Cookie Bars
    "CopyCat" Starbucks Pumpkin Pound Cake »
    14.2K shares
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    About Kim Lange

    Hi! I'm Kim! As you may know, I'm cookie, brownie and chocolate obsessed! You'll find hundreds of decadent and healthy dessert recipes to choose from here! So, let's bake something easy and never forget the chocolate!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. ColLeen says

      June 15, 2020 at 9:08 pm

      I made this cake tonite, excited after reading the fabulous description and photos. It was largely tasteless. I thought the frosting would salvage it however it was also poor on the tastebuds. I’ve been baking since age 12 ((40 yrs!) so I know a thing or two about cakes..

      • Kim Lange says

        June 16, 2020 at 7:13 pm

        You could always add more cinnamon and spices of course. Thanks for trying.

    2. Liz says

      October 13, 2018 at 3:52 pm

      My favorite part of autumn is apple desserts and this applesauce cake looks fabulous!!!

      • Kim Lange says

        October 14, 2018 at 10:41 am

        Thanks so much Liz!!

    3. Katherine | Love In My Oven says

      October 11, 2018 at 5:24 pm

      Kim! This cake screams fall. I love apple cinnamon cake, and cream cheese frosting is ALWAYS the right answer 😉 Yum!

    4. Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says

      October 11, 2018 at 8:59 am

      I haven't had applesauce cake in FOREVER but looking at your pics I can almost taste this one. I need to make it soon! Preferably when I have people over so I don't eat it all myself 🙂

      • Kim Lange says

        October 11, 2018 at 5:18 pm

        I would highly recommend to have people over! 🙂 Soooo good! Thanks Kelsie! xo

    5. CAtherine says

      October 10, 2018 at 6:30 pm

      What a beautiful + elegant cake!! So perfect for fall, I can just smell the apple cinnamon from here!! 😀

      • Kim Lange says

        October 10, 2018 at 8:48 pm

        Thank you so much Catherine! It is one of our favorites for fall!

    6. Scott says

      March 31, 2018 at 3:08 pm

      Thanx for the quick response. I have an 8x8 square pan I will use. I prefer a thicker cake. I thought maybe it would rise enough but 1 inch seems too thin. Thanks again!

      • ChocolaTess says

        March 31, 2018 at 3:10 pm

        You are very welcome! I think that's a wise choice! 🙂

    7. Scott says

      March 31, 2018 at 2:30 pm

      Can this be made in a 9x13 cake pan? I'm guessing total bake time would be less. Thanx!

      • ChocolaTess says

        March 31, 2018 at 2:53 pm

        Hi Scott, yes the time would be less but the cake would only about an inch or so, if you're ok with that. 🙂 It's a really good cake!

    8. Alyssa says

      October 11, 2017 at 7:27 pm

      Hi! I only have regular applesauce, not unsweetened. Have you ever made it without unsweetened? Should I just add less brown sugar? Let me know what you think! Thanks!

      • ChocolaTess says

        October 11, 2017 at 7:32 pm

        Hi Alyssa,
        Using regular applesauce is fine. I've used both and just keep the measurements as. Hope you love it! 😀

    9. Terri says

      September 27, 2016 at 10:43 pm

      Hi Tess,
      Have a question. Am thinking of making the applesauce cake into muffins. How long do you suggest baking them?

      • ChocolaTess says

        September 28, 2016 at 12:33 pm

        Terri, 15-18 minutes. 🙂 Enjoy!!

    10. Terri says

      September 26, 2016 at 11:15 am

      Yeah! That sounds perfect. My grand-daughter is 2 and loves to help cooking when I visit I like to make something we can do together.
      I made the applesauce cake last night. YUMMY, YUMMY, YUMMY
      Thank you for your help.

      • ChocolaTess says

        September 26, 2016 at 11:38 am

        That is so awesome she loves to help! I say start them while they are young and interested for sure. 😉 I am so happy you enjoyed that cake. It's one of my faves Terri!

    11. Terri says

      September 26, 2016 at 12:15 am

      Hi Sue, do you have a recipe for applesauce? My granddaughter wants me to make it with her when I visit next week. Thank you

      • ChocolaTess says

        September 26, 2016 at 8:00 am

        Terri,
        4 apples - peeled, cored, chopped (use a firm apple like Granny Smith or MacIntosh)
        3/4 cup water
        1/4 cup white sugar
        1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
        Combine apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan and cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash up with a fork or potato masher. If you want less sugar and cinnamon you can adjust. 🙂

    12. Sue says

      July 06, 2015 at 10:41 am

      Followed directions carefully, not as moist as I was expecting.

      • ChocolaTess says

        July 07, 2015 at 1:23 pm

        So sorry, Sue! I don't know what happened, but I was wondering if you may have overbaked it? I know when I've made it, it was very moist and I tend to underbake more than overbake with everything.

    13. Bobbi - 3GLOL says

      November 02, 2014 at 8:28 pm

      Uh.....yum! Looks so delish!! Pinned it 😉

      Thanks so much for linking up to Teach Me Tuesday last week. You are very much appreciated. Starting this week, we will no longer be visiting you, instead we will be pinning each and every link. We want to give you more exposure! Hope to see you again this week!!

      • ChocolaTess says

        November 03, 2014 at 8:40 pm

        Hi Bobbi! Thanks for pinning 🙂 And of course, I appreciate being appreciated...LOL! I'll be back for sure, love the party and all the inspiration of all the links posted.

    14. Anna @ Just a Mum says

      October 28, 2014 at 5:42 am

      That looks divine! The icing!!!! Stopping by from Teach me Tuesday Link Party - yum!

      • ChocolaTess says

        October 28, 2014 at 5:17 pm

        Thank Anna! OMgosh it is totally divine! It's killer! Thanks for swinging by! 🙂

    Trackbacks

    1. Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake – Sugar Free Option too! – Cookie, Brownie & Chocolate Obsessed The Baking ChocolaTess – Cookie, Brownie & Chocolate Recipes says:
      February 19, 2020 at 10:09 am

      […] Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake that is vegan that is super yummy, along with this ‘Awesome’ Cinnamon Applesauce Cake,  Apple Cinnamon Roll Coffee CakeandCinnamon Apple Muffins – GF, Low-Carb, […]

    2. Mimi’s Carrot Cake Oat Pecan Loaf says:
      July 14, 2018 at 10:40 am

      […] traditional carrot cake version. O M G.  I tried it and it’s soo freaking good with the frosting too! […]

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    Kim Lange

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