This is the best old fashioned applesauce cake recipe you’ll ever try! It’s sweet, moist, and incredibly delicious, with a lovely crunch from the nuts. And the best part? It’s a classic recipe that’s super easy to make!
This soft and super moist applesauce cake is packed with wholesome ingredients and a delicious classic apple flavor your whole family will love. It’s a classic, old-fashioned recipe and has a heartier texture than the typical fluffy layer cake. You’ll end up with a sweet, moist cake that’s perfect for any occasion.
If you’re a fan of classic, comforting desserts, you’ll love this applesauce spice cake recipe. It’s similar in style to other vintage cakes like banana cake, chocolate mayonnaise cake, and old fashioned raisin cake. So, if you enjoy this recipe, be sure to give those a try too!
In a vintage cookbook titled “Favorite Recipes of St. Johns Rosary Society” from Whitting, Indiana. I picked up this cookbook in an antique store and was drawn to the many handwritten recipes that were taped inside. This was the seventeenth printing of the book, so I knew it must be good!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Classic Flavors: This recipe uses traditional ingredients like cinnamon and cloves, giving the cake a classic, comforting flavor that’s hard to resist.
- Family Favorite: This cake is a hit with both kids and adults. It’s the perfect sweet treat for any family gathering.
- Comfort Food: There’s something about the warm, spiced aroma of this cake that just screams comfort. It’s the perfect dessert for a cozy night in.
- Time-Tested: This recipe is a classic that has stood the test of time. It’s been a favorite in many households for generations.
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Key Ingredients
- Shortening: This fat source will give our old fashioned applesauce cake a tender crumb and a rich, buttery flavor.
- Salt: A pinch of salt will enhance all the other flavors in our recipe, making the sweetness of the cake more pronounced.
- Sugar: This sweet ingredient will not only sweeten our cake but also help to give it a beautiful golden brown color.
- Egg: The egg will act as a binder, holding all the other ingredients together and giving our cake structure.
- Applesauce: This is the star of our recipe, providing natural sweetness, moisture, and a unique apple flavor to our cake.
- Flour: The base of our cake, flour will give it structure and stability.
- Baking Soda: This leavening agent will help our cake rise and become light and fluffy.
- Ground Cloves and Ground Cinnamon: These spices will add a warm, comforting flavor to our cake, perfect for the fall season.
- Walnuts: These will add a crunchy texture and a nutty flavor to our cake, complementing the sweetness of the applesauce.
- Raisins: These will add a chewy texture and a sweet, fruity flavor to our cake.
- Dates: Chopped and floured lightly, dates will add a sweet, caramel-like flavor and a moist, dense texture to our cake.
Equipment
- Hand Mixer – This is essential for blending the shortening, salt, sugar, and egg together until fluffy. It will also help to mix in the flour mixture and applesauce.
- 5×9 Loaf Pan – This is the perfect size for our moist old fashioned applesauce cake. It will ensure that the cake bakes evenly and has the right shape.
- Sifter – This is needed to sift together the flour, baking soda, cloves, and cinnamon. It will help to remove any lumps and aerate the dry ingredients.
How to Make the Best Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake
Preparation
Begin by preheating your oven to 350˚ F and greasing a 5×9 loaf pan. This will ensure your pan is ready for the sweet, moist cake mixture.
Step 1 – Mix the Shortening, Sugar, and Egg
Blend the shortening, salt, sugar, and egg in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer on medium speed. Mix until the mixture is fluffy, which should take about one minute.
Step 2 – Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon. This will ensure that the dry ingredients are well combined and free of any lumps.
Step 3 – Add Flour and Applesauce to Shortening Mixture
Add the flour mixture and applesauce to the large mixing bowl with the shortening mixture. Add these ingredients alternately until they are mixed in. This will help to prevent overmixing, which can make the sweet, moist cake tough.
Step 4 – Prepare the Dates and Add to the Batter
Toss the chopped dates in 1 tablespoon of flour. This will prevent the dates from sinking to the bottom of the cake. Stir in the raisins, dates, and nuts to the batter.
Step 5 – Bake the Cake
Add the cake batter to the greased loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This will ensure that your sweet, moist cake is fully baked.
Step 6 – Cool and Frost the Cake
Once the cake is baked, allow it to cool. You can then sprinkle it with powdered sugar or frost it with cream cheese icing for extra sweetness. This will add a delicious flavor to your old fashioned applesauce cake.
Expert Tip
For the best results, let the cake cool for 90 minutes before removing from the pan. Because this is a cake texture, cooling the cake makes it easier to remove from the pan.
Recipe Variations
- Add Cream Cheese Icing: If you’re a fan of cream cheese frosting, try adding a generous layer on top of your cooled old fashioned applesauce cake for a sweet and tangy twist.
- Dust with Powdered Sugar: For a simple yet elegant finish, dust your applesauce cake with powdered sugar. This adds a touch of sweetness and a beautiful presentation.
- Omit Nuts: If you’re not a fan of nuts or have a family member with a nut allergy, feel free to omit the walnuts from the recipe. Your applesauce cake will still be deliciously sweet and moist.
- Extra Spices: If you love the warm, spicy flavor of this applesauce cake, feel free to add a little extra ground cloves or cinnamon to the batter. This will enhance the old-fashioned taste of your cake.
What to Serve With
- For a cozy afternoon treat, serve a slice of this old fashioned applesauce cake with a hot cup of coffee. The sweet, moist cake complements the bitter notes of the coffee perfectly.
- If you’re in the mood for a dessert, try pairing this applesauce cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cold, creamy ice cream contrasts beautifully with the warm, sweet cake.
- For a fun twist, serve this easy applesauce cake recipe as a mid-morning snack with a glass of cold milk. It’s a great way to keep your energy levels up until lunchtime.
- If you’re hosting a brunch, this old fashioned applesauce cake makes a great addition to the menu. Pair it with a cup of tea or a mimosa for a deliciously elegant touch.
Recipe FAQs
A version of applesauce cake was commonly made in the New England colonies, but recipes for applesauce cake as we know it today were popular in the early and mid 20th century in American cookbooks. By the 1950s, this lightly sweetened, warmly spiced cake was made in a variety of ways at home.
Applesauce cake typically includes applesauce as a primary ingredient, which adds moisture, flavor, and texture. It often has warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, giving it a distinctively cozy flavor combination that’s old-fashioned and delicious.
Yes, you can use either homemade or store-bought applesauce. Homemade applesauce may offer a fresher taste and allow you to control the sweetness and texture, but store-bought applesauce works perfectly fine as well.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerate: Once your old fashioned applesauce cake has cooled, store it in an airtight container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze: If you plan to freeze the cake, I recommend doing so without the cream cheese frosting. Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag. It can be stored this way for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen applesauce cake, simply let it thaw at room temperature. Once it’s thawed, you can add the cream cheese frosting if you like.
- Reheat Instructions: If you prefer to serve your applesauce cake warm, you can reheat individual slices in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. Be sure to remove the cream cheese frosting before reheating.
More Apple Desserts You’ll Enjoy
Serving Size
- What to Expect: This moist applesauce cake recipe yields a sweet, moist cake that’s enough for about 6 to 8 servings.
- How to Scale: If you want to serve more than 8, you can easily double the recipe and bake it in a larger pan. Just ensure you check for doneness, as the larger cake may need a little more time in the oven.
Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake
Ingredients
- ½ Cup shortening
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ Cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 Cup applesauce
- 1 ⅔ Cup flour + 1 Tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ Cup walnuts chopped
- ½ Cup raisins
- ½ Cup dates chopped and floured lightly
- powdered sugar or cream cheese icing optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Grease a 5×9 loaf pan.
- Blend the shortening, salt, sugar, and egg with a mixer on medium speed for one minute or until fluffy.
- In a separate bowl sift together 1 2/3 cup flour, baking soda, cloves, and cinnamon.
- Add the flour mixture and applesauce to the shortening mixture, adding alternately until mixed in.
- Toss the chopped dates in 1 Tablespoon flour.
- Stir in the raisins, dates, and nuts to the batter.
- Add to greased loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick added to the center comes out clean.
- When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar or cream cheese icing.
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