Applesauce Cake 🍎 🍏

This applesauce cake is soft, moist and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. It's loaded with fall spices and topped with a delicious cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients needed:

1 ½ cups all-purpose or white whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup pure maple syrup or honey

¼ cup avocado oil

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup chopped nuts or raisins optional

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting-

8 oz cream cheese full fat, softened to room temperature

½ cup Greek yogurt I used plain full fat

¼ cup maple syrup

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the unsweetened applesauce, maple syrup or honey, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and well combined.

3. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.

4. Gently stir in the chopped nuts or raisins if using.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 22-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

6. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. While cake is cooling, make cream cheese frosting by adding all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer on medium speed to whip all the ingredients together until smooth and fluffy (about 5 minutes), scraping down the sides as needed. If your frosting is turning out runny, just keep whipping it and it should turn out thick and fluffy. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer.

8. Once the cake has cooled, top with cream cheese frosting. Cut into squares and serve.

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2024/9/7 Edited to

I recently stumbled upon this applesauce cake recipe, and it instantly reminded me of those comforting, old-fashioned bakes, almost like something from an Amish farmhouse kitchen. What makes a cake feel 'Amish-style'? It's often about simple, wholesome ingredients and flavors that speak of tradition and homemade goodness. This recipe truly delivers on that front. For me, the magic starts with using pure, unsweetened APPLESAUCE, which gives the cake incredible moisture and a subtle sweetness without being overly sugary. The choice of MAPLE SYRUP as the primary sweetener perfectly complements the warm, earthy notes from the CINNAMON, NUTMEG, and CLOVES. These spices are key to that inviting, autumnal aroma and taste. When you're baking, always make sure your spices are fresh – it makes a huge difference in the final flavor! And don't forget a pinch of SALT; it’s essential for balancing out the sweetness and making all those lovely flavors pop. I love how this recipe keeps things simple yet delicious. Using a good quality all-purpose FLOUR or even white whole wheat flour gives it a hearty texture. The combination of BAKING SODA and BAKING POWDER ensures a perfect rise, resulting in a cake that's wonderfully soft and tender. The AVOCADO OIL and fresh EGGS contribute to its rich, moist crumb, and a dash of pure VANILLA extract elevates the overall aroma. If you're looking to personalize this 'Amish-style' treat, there are so many ways to get creative! While chopped nuts or raisins are optional in the original recipe, I've found that adding toasted pecans or walnuts gives it an extra layer of texture and nuttiness that's just divine. You could also try a sprinkle of ground ginger or allspice if you want to deepen the spice profile even further. For the frosting, if you're not a fan of cream cheese, a simple glaze made with powdered sugar and a splash of milk or apple cider would be equally delightful. This cake is truly versatile. It’s perfect with a cup of hot coffee or tea on a crisp afternoon, or even served warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a more indulgent treat. It travels well too, making it a fantastic potluck dessert or a thoughtful gift for neighbors. It's a recipe that brings comfort and joy, just like those classic bakes from simpler times.