Applesauce Cake with Caramel Glaze
I found myself making an oldie but a goodie this past weekend. This applesauce cake with caramel glaze is 3 years old and I remembered how good it was that it was the first thing I made last weekend after a big batch of homemade apple sauce. I had to take pictures of it and update the recipe. Hopefully those of you that are new around here will see it now and try it! It’s one of my favorite fall recipes.
It is a lightly spiced applesauce cake that is moist, fluffy and sweet. The cake is topped with a caramel glaze made with either my homemade caramel sauce recipe or a simpler version below. It is the perfect addition to this fall inspired cake!
I find that I do not bake with applesauce as much as I should especially that every time I bake with it, the results are moist muffins, banana bread or cakes. Do you use applesauce a lot in baking? I need to use it more in healthier recipes. But for now, I have lots of applesauce to use and can’t wait to make a batch of these spiced apple macarons again.
If you are looking for an easy, simple, flavorful and delicious fall cake this season, this is it. I know you will love it as much as I have loved it the past few years.
Applesauce Cake with Caramel Glaze
Perfectly spiced tender applesauce cake with caramel glaze
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce (I used homemade sauce; recipe below)
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Caramel Glaze
- 4 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ to 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
Homemade Apple Sauce
- 3-4 pounds apple (6-8 apples. I used a combination of Macintosh, GrannySmiths and Galas), peeled, cored and thinly sliced.
- ¼ cup brown sugar (or more if you want it sweeter)
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon all spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
Instructions
For applesauce
- Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to boil over medium heat. Lower heat and simmer until apples are soft, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and mash apples with a fork or potato masher. Let cool to room temperature before using.
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 12-cup bundt pan.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, pepper, cinnamon, sugar and allspice.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugars until light and well combined. Add in the applesauce, oil and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before turning it out. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Caramel Glaze
- In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, heavy cream and salt and set over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil while stirring continuously. Boil for a minute and then remove from heat. Let cool for 2-3 minutes and the gradually whisk in the powdered sugar until you have a thick glaze. The glaze should be pourable. If it’s too thick, add a teaspoon or two of heavy cream to thin out.
- Use glaze immediately. Pour over cake as desire. Let glaze set before serving.
Notes
Loosely adapted from Food52
(I love updating my old recipes with new pictures but I always leave one of the old pictures just so I can see how far I’ve come in my journey as a blogger. This recipe was originally posted October 15, 2013.)
Thanks Monet!
Ugh. So sorry to hear about the furlough. I used to work for the government and we had a few scares…I hope it all gets resolved soon. As for this cake? So delicious. I wish I could grab a slice through my computer screen!
I think I wanna just sit there and lick the glaze!
Hahhah! I want to as well 🙂
I’m so sorry for what you guys are going through, Zainab! Fingers crossed that this whole mess will be over sooner rather than later. Your cake looks delish! 😀
I’m hoping it does too. It looks like it will soon though. Thanks Allie for the kind words 🙂
Boo to the gov’t. I am so annoyed and frustrated by everything. I hope it works out well for you soon. Baking supplies have been on sale for me for the last couple of weeks. I am so tempted to stock up but it seems a bit ridiculous right now when the house is such a mess.
Where do you shop? I want to get in on your sales lol! You should stock up before the holidays. Maybe pile in a box? What’s one more box hahah.
This cake looks amazing! I need to buy a bundt pan – you have so many gorgeous bundt cake recipes on your site! I’m so sorry about your husband’s situation – that is so frustrating! And it is really hard to cut back on spending, especially as it relates to fun baking ingredients! I hope everything works out soon, and in the meantime, have another slice of this delicious cake 🙂
Thanks Cate! You need to get a bundt pan indeed. Bundt cakes are extremely moist and I am in love with them. Oh and I am having more than one slice :p
I’m really sorry about the whole government thing. Thats got to be incredibly frustrating, the least being no grocery shopping (my impulse buys also add up! Men go for the bare essentials, truly. Boring, but frugal!) On a happier note, I am late to the apple week party, but am super excited to see all these delicious looking apple recipes! What a gorgeous cake. And I can seriously almost smell it through the screen … baking with apples makes the house smell amazing!
Mary it’s frustrating I know. And shopping is usually my therapy lol! Thanks for joining the apple party 🙂
This looks amazing and I love that you made your own applesauce! I think that I actually want to make my own applesauce now! Just one quick question… how much applesauce does your recipe make? Just enough for the cake or more?
Renee the applesauce recipe makes twice as much as you need for the recipe so there will be plenty to go around for other purposes!
I’m so sorry to hear how this shutdown has affected your household, and I hope it gets resolved ASAP! I’m the same when I shop — I spend too much grabbing things for all of my inspirations. I really am working hard to reign myself in at the store! Your cake looks SO marvelous, and I sure hope life gets back to normal for you soon so you can bake to your hearts content.
It’s so hard to stop myself from just grabbing things. A bunch of random things in the house force me to think outside of the box lol! Thanks for your sweet comment Marcie.
I am so sorry for your situation! I am beyond frustrated with our government and the number of people (they were elected to serve) that are greatly effected by this shutdown. Vent away!
This cake looks so moist and delicious. I’m pretty sure I could eat the glaze with a spoon. 🙂
Thanks Jamie!! Venting helps lol
Your venting is completely justified..definitely a frustrating situation! But glad it hasn’t gotten in the way of apple week- another gorgeous cake by you!
Hahha thanks for listening to my vent Meghan! You are a good friend 🙂
Vent away! It is such a frustrating situation 🙁 I don’t know anyone who is not getting paid, but I do know some people who are being affected indirectly. I hope a resolution is coming soon!
This cake looks fabulous! 🙂
Thank Jennifer. I’m hanging in there. We will be fine for a few months honestly it just stinks that they make me worry.