Applesauce Cake is perfectly spiced and flavorful, topped with an easy cream cheese frosting. Bake this cake with simple ingredients, all in one bowl!
Easy Applesauce Cake Recipe
This cake couldn’t be easier to make; it’s all mixed together in one bowl with a wooden spoon. You’ll only need a mixer if you choose to make the frosting. While the frosting adds a great touch, the cake is delicious on its own.
It’s made with a few simple swaps:
- No white flour: We use ground oats instead.
- No butter: We’re swapping the butter for coconut oil.
- Less sugar: This applesauce cake has less sugar compared to most cakes.
- Chopped pecans: These add great texture and nutrients.
- And, of course, there’s applesauce in the cake (more on this below)!
Ingredients
- Unsweetened Applesauce: Use unsweetened applesauce to control the sweetness. You can even make your own applesauce.
- Coconut Oil: Measure after melting and cool before adding to mix to prevent cooking the egg.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together and helps the cake rise.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds more flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Lightly pack the brown sugar to measure accurately.
- Baking soda & Baking Powder: Make the applesauce cake rise and become fluffy. Check for freshness.
- Ground Cinnamon, Allspice, and Nutmeg: Adjust any of these to your personal preferences.
- Oat Flour: Blend regular oats into a fine flour or buy oat flour in baking section at your local grocery stores.
Quick Tip
To make this cake gluten-free: Check ingredient labels for any gluten processing. Even small amounts of gluten can be harmful to those with celiac disease.
How To Make Applesauce Cake
- Combine wet ingredients: Applesauce, melted and cooled coconut oil, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients on top: Baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, salt, oat flour, and pecans. Mix well.
- Transfer batter into a parchment-lined 8×8-inch pan and bake.
- Cool completely at room temperature.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting while the cake cools. Frost the cake once cool and sprinkle with crushed pecans if desired.
Applesauce Cake FAQs
Does Applesauce Change The Texture Of Baked Goods?
Applesauce adds moisture, sweetness, and fresh flavor to the cake, making it extra moist and tasty.
What Does Applesauce Replace In Baked Goods?
Applesauce adds moisture, sweetness, and fresh flavor to the cake, making it extra moist and tasty.
How To Make Oat Flour?
To make oat flour, blend quick or old-fashioned oats in a food processor until powdery. Ensure no whole pieces remain. Measure the flour after grinding.
Storage
Store the cake at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap. It’s best within 1-2 days.
For longer storage, freeze un-frosted pieces for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature and then frost.
More Apple Recipes:
- Applesauce Bread made with better-for-you ingredients
- Healthy Apple Muffins
- Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars
- Apple Crumble reader favorite recipe!
- Apple Almond Muffins flourless and healthy
Applesauce Cake
This Applesauce Cake is spiced to perfection and topped with a simple cream cheese frosting. Whip it up in one bowl with healthy ingredients for a delicious treat!
Equipment
- Baking pan 8 x 8-inch
- Parchment paper
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted and cooled, see note 1
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup oat flour blend up old-fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans optional
- 1/3 cup raisins optional
Optional Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Chopped pecans optional, for topping
Instructions
- Set out cream cheese to warm to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or the cake will not come out easily. Melt coconut oil and let cool to room temperature (see note 1).
- In a large bowl, stir together applesauce, melted and cooled coconut oil, egg, vanilla extract, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg to the bowl, then add oat flour (see note 2). If using, add chopped pecans and raisins. Mix until combined and smooth.
- Pour batter into the lined 8×8 pan. Bake for 28–33 minutes or until a fork inserted comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
- In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and vanilla extract with a hand mixer until smooth. Add salt. If you'd like a tangier or soft frosting, only add 1-1/4 cups powdered sugar. For a sweeter, thicker frosting, add closer to 1-3/4 cups. Gradually add desired amount of powdered sugar, beating between additions, until the frosting is smooth and creamy and to your desired consistency. Add a bit of milk if too thick.
- Frost the cooled cake evenly. If desired, top with chopped pecans.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: The coconut oil needs to be melted, but if it’s hot, it will get chunky when added with other cold ingredients. Give it time to come to room temperature before adding it with the other ingredients.
Note 2: Make oat flour by blending (or pulsing) old-fashioned oats or quick oats in a blender or food processor until they resemble flour. Blend well so you don’t have any large oat chunks in the cake. Measure oat flour after blending and not before.
Storage: Store cake at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap. Applesauce Cake is best enjoyed within 1–2 days. Freeze (un-frosted) pieces for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature and then frost. Frosted cake doesn’t freeze and thaw well.
Nutrition
Serving: 12pieces | Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 163mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just made it—Delicious, taking 2 next week for snacks at Women’s group–thank you!
Awesome!! That is so great to hear 🙂 I hope the Women’s group loves it! Thank you Marty!
Can this be made in a loaf pan instead of an 8×8 pan? If so, how long would it bake for? Looks delicious!!
Sorry Tracy, I don’t think it would work in a loaf pan. I haven’t ever had much success with flourless baked goods doing well in a loaf pan.
One question…do you taste to coconut flavor at all? That is my one hangup about coconut oil. I have sometimes been able to taste the slight coconut flavor when I didn’t want to.
I think it all depends on the coconut oil you use! I’ve experimented with tons and the most neutral in my opinion is louana’s brand. Using that brand I’ve never been able to taste any bit of coconut flavor. Hope that helps! 🙂
I just used whatever coconut oil I had on hand (I think ours is from Aldi) and I didn’t taste it at all. I don’t like to taste the coconut oil either.
Okay, I made this recipe today, followed it to a tee with the exception of the level of spices… and it was SO delicious! I’ve been reading your blog for months now and after a bite of this cake I thought it was time I comment here (instead of just on your Instagram photos 😉 Just yum.
Plus if you need any more proof, my boyfriend has already consumed 4 pieces…but to be fair this cake isn’t heavy but wonderfully light which is why I assume this was possible 😉 Can’t wait to try more of your recipes, especially all these fall-inspirations you keep posting!
You are so sweet Kirsti!! I so appreciate your sweet comment 🙂 So glad you enjoyed this bread and hope you enjoy the next things you try out 🙂 Thanks again for the comment!
Love that you actually made this recipe before commenting. Can’t believe food bloggers make it take so long to find a real comment cause they approve dozens of ppl or bots reviewing how good a recipe “looks”
This is another killer from you- Seriously, I drool when I see your baked goods!
You are the best! Thank you!
This applesauce cake looks amazing though! Love the flavors and that it’s healthier.
Thank you so much Kelly!! xox
This is the first baked good I made from your blog and it was delicious! So awesome. Thank you!
Oh that is SO great to hear!! So happy you enjoyed this and thanks for leaving a comment! 🙂
It looks so amazing, Chelsea! And the apple sauce addition? Brilliant.
oh how I am so excited for fall baking! Looks amazing Chelsea!
Made these today for my breakfast/lunch Cafe south of Buffalo NY, but had no coconut oil so used vegetable and also used gluten free oats so I can call them gluten free…..did not add nuts but made them in muffin tins, sprinkled oats on top – no cream cheese frosting and they are delicious and I am sure they will sell out!! Yum!!!
Yay!! So glad to hear it! Thanks so much for the comment and for trying out this recipe 🙂 Love the idea of making this in a muffin tin!
Oh my gosh Diane, I need to know the name of your cafe!!! I grew up south of Buffalo, NY in Rushford. My husband and both did. He’s military so we have lived all over, currently CA… I’d love to visit your cafe next time I’m home. Also, I’m going to use this recipe in a homeschool co-op cooking class tomorrow and was hoping they would work as muffins! Yay! And have to substitute the coconut oil because of allergies, this recipe is so perfect for my needs!!! Thanks Chelsea
I hope the muffins work well and you enjoy the recipe 🙂