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A super simple pantry dessert that uses simple ingredients to make a moist spice cake with a brown butter frosting! This Applesauce Cake is so simple that even kids can make it, and the flavors of the spices with the browned butter will keep you coming back for more.
As most of us slide into summer, baking becomes a less frequent thing. I know itโs hot! I know you just want to lay by the pool. However, Iโm begging you to make this simple little applesauce cake with browned butter frosting as an afternoon treat.
You donโt have to brown the butter if that extra step just seems like too much! The cake is so moist and full of spices, and the frosting is just a stir-together-and-pour situation.
If you love my simple yogurt cake, this is another simple cake for your recipe archives!
Ingredients
- Flour. One and a quarter cups (or 156 grams) of regular all-purpose flour. Do not use self-rising flour or whole wheat flour. I use regular bleached flour, but unbleached is nearly identical and will work, too.
- Baking Soda. Three-quarters of a teaspoon of baking soda.
- Baking Powder. One-quarter teaspoon of baking powder.
- Salt. One-quarter teaspoon of fine sea salt. Please do not skip the salt, because it balances the sweet flavors of the cake and frosting.
- Cinnamon. One-half teaspoon of ground cinnamon. If you want to be very fancy, I recommend Ceylon Cinnamon because itโs so floral and delicious, but honestly, regular cinnamon is totally fine!
- Nutmeg. One-quarter teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg. I love this nutmeg grater that captures the nutmeg as you grind it, allowing you to measure right in the container.
- Allspice. One-half teaspoon of ground allspice. Itโs a common ingredient in apple desserts, and I think youโll love it here. If you donโt have it, omit it and add an extra quarter teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg to make up for it.
- Sugar. One-half cup (or 100 grams) of granulated sugar.
- Brown Sugar. One-half cup (or 110 grams) of brown sugar. It can be light or dark brown sugar, either work equally well.
- Applesauce. We need 3/4 cup of applesauce for this applesauce cake! My preference is my homemade instant pot applesauce, but if youโre going store-bought, try to find unsweetened applesauce! Regular store-bought applesauce has too much sugar for this recipe. Homemade applesauce or unsweetened jarred applesauce are your best choices here.
- Butter. Four tablespoons (or half of a stick, 57 grams) of unsalted butter that we will melt for the cake batter. However, we also need an additional stick (113 grams) for making the brown butter frosting.
- Milk. One-quarter cup of whole milk, or any plant-based milk you like, as long as it doesnโt have much sugar. I have used boxed Trader Joeโs unsweetened soy milk for this applesauce cake recipe with great results.
- Egg. One large egg, beaten.
- Vanilla. One teaspoon of pure vanilla extract for the cake and an additional 1/2 teaspoon for the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar. One and a half cups of powdered sugar (also called confectionerโs sugar) for making the brown butter frosting.
How to Make Applesauce Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
- Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F, and lightly spray an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.ย Whisk very well.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, apple sauce, melted butter, milk, egg and vanilla extract until well-blended.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, stirring until no streaks of flour remain. Pour into prepared pan.
5. Bake on the center rack for 33-36 minutes, until the edges of the cake just start to pull away from the sides of the pan. The sides will continue to pull away further as it cools.
6. Now make the brown butter frosting: melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until the foaming stops, and continue cooking until the mixture turns golden brown (stir occasionally). Keep an eye on it and donโt let it burn!
7. Pour the melted browned butter over the powdered sugar, and whisk to combine. Add the vanilla and salt. (If the frosting doesnโt come together, add a splash of milk or cream to thin it out).
8. Spread the frosting over the cake, slice into 12 of 16 equal pieces, and serve.
Recipe Tips for Applesauce Cake
- Applesauce โ As mentioned in the ingredients section, homemade applesauce is amazing here, but if youโre using store-bought, opt for the unsweetened variety.
- Pan Size โ I tested this recipe only in an 8-inch square pan (the same one you use for my lemon brownies). If you wish to double the recipe and bake in a 9ร13-inch pan, you can! Let us all know in the comments how it goes. (Yes, double the frosting, too!)
Applesauce Cake
Ingredients
For the Applesauce Cake:
- 1 1/4 cups (156 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) brown sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Brown Butter Frosting
- 4 ounces (113 grams; 1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, apple sauce, melted butter, milk, egg and vanilla extract until well-blended.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients, stirring until no streaks of flour remain. Pour into prepared pan, and bake on the center rack for 33-36 minutes, until the edges of the cake just start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Theyโll pull away further as it cools. Let it cool while you make the frosting.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting: melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until the foaming stops, and let it cook until it turns a golden brown color and smells nutty. Stir occasionally to prevent any burning.
- Pour the melted browned butter over the powdered sugar, and whisk to combine. Add the vanilla and salt. (If the frosting doesnโt come together, add a splash of milk or cream to thin it out).
- Frost the cooled cake, and slice it into 16 equal pieces.
This is delicious! My icing was not as smooth as that in these pictures. It spread more like peanut butter instead of being fluffy, but it tastes amazing! I will definitely make it again!
You can definitely splash in some milk or heavy cream to thin it out, if you like. Thanks for baking it:)
Made today for a small get-together and everyone loved it! The cake is very moist โ Iโm enjoying my second slice now! โ and the frosting is so luscious. Will def make again!
The whole family loved it! It was very moist and rich. I didnโt have nutmeg or allspice, so I subbed pumpkin pie spice and it was so yummy. I skipped the frosting and served it with whipped cream to lighten it up a bit (my family always complains about being too sweet), but Iโll definitely be making this again and trying the frosting!