Applesauce Cake Recipe

Applesauce Cake Recipe makes a delicious, moist cake with or without a frosting.

These cakes were very popular in the 1930's and 1940's because of the depression and World War 2, resulting in sugar rationing.

Applesauce (was two words back then) and was substituted for some of the unavailable cane sugar.

Our family and other farmers had an abundance of apples from trees on our farms and in our yards.

Mama stewed apples, unpeeled until they were thick and mushy, added spices and canned them to make cakes and fried apple pies.

Applesauce that was made from fresh (not cooked), peeled apples were then canned and looked like our jarred applesauce does today.

Applesauce Cake Recipe

• 1 stick butter or 1/2 cup shortening (butter is best)
  
  
• 3/4 cup sugar
  
  
• 1 egg
  
  
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  
• 1 cup sweetened thick applesauce
  
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
  
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (reserve 2 tablespoons)
  
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
  
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  
• 1/2 cup seedless raisins
  
  
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  
  
• A little extra powdered sugar for sprinkling on cake plate.
  
  

Line a 8" x 8" x 2" square baking pan with parchment paper.

Spray bottom and sides lightly with cooking spray or grease with butter or shortening.

If using butter or shortening, dust lightly with flour.

Set aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, allspice and 1/2 of cinnamon.

Set aside.


Dredge raisins in the 2 tablespoons flour and set aside.

In mixing bowl cream butter.

Slowly add sugar and cream until light.

Stir in vanilla extract.

Add egg and beat until well mixed.

Stir soda into applesauce until foamy.

Then stir the mixture into the batter.

Fold in the flour and mix just until smooth.

Fold in raisins along with the flour from the dredging.

Spoon batter into baking pan.

Smooth top with a spatula making sure to push batter into all corners.

Bake in a preheated 350F. oven 50-55 minutes until cake tests done in center with a knife or toothpick.

Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes.

While cooling, mix together the powdered sugar and remaining cinnamon.

Sprinkle a little powdered sugar on a cake plate or server.

Remove cake from baking pan, peel off paper and place top side up onto the powdered sugar.

Sift together the sugar and cinnamon mix over top of warm cake and let sit until cool.

Note: Cream Cheese Frosting makes an excellent, creamy frosting for your Applesauce Cake Recipe, if you prefer your cake frosted.

This cake is also amazing served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Other flavors of ice cream, especially butter pecan, make this cake a special treat for your family and friends.

Applesauce Sheet Cake

• 2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
  

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
  

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  

• 2 cups granulated sugar
  
  

• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
  
  

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature
  
  
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
  
  

• 1/2 cup golden raisins
  
  
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds 
  
  

Sift together sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a stand mixer bowl.

Stir in sugar, applesauce, softened butter and slightly beaten eggs.

Beat on low speed, scrapping down the sides and bottom of bowl until all the ingredients are moistened.

Turn mixer to high speed, scrapping down the sides and bottom of the bowl until the batter is smooth.

Fold in the raisins and chopped almonds.

Grease and flour a 13" by 9" baking pan.

Shake out excess flour and pour the. 

Smooth the top and bake in a preheated 350F., 35 to 40 minutes until the center feels firm to a slight touch and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the baking pan.

Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack until it is completely cooled.

While the cake is completely cooling, prepare the frosting.

Applesauce Sheet Cake Frosting

• 1/3 cup butter
  
  
• 3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar 
  
  

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  

• 3 to 4 tablespoons whole milk
  
  
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds
   
  

In a saucepan, melt the butter until it is golden brown. 

Remove from the heat and let it cool completely.

Mix together the cooled

melted browned butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.  

On medium speed, slowly beat in the milk, scrapping down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl until the frosting is very smooth.

Frost the cake and sprinkle the top with the chopped almonds.

History Of Applesauce Cakes

Applesauce Cakes date back to the early Colonial Times in America. 

Recipes for the applesauce cake started appearing in American cook books in 1900.

Related Pages

Apple Sheet cake Recipe

Applesauce Muffins Recipe

Fresh Apple Cake Recipe

Return to Old Fashioned Cake Recipes

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