Enjoy the best old fashioned applesauce cake topped with creamy buttercream frosting. This moist, spiced cake is full of homemade flavor and makes the perfect dessert for holidays, fall gatherings, or any time you’re craving a classic treat with a sweet finish.
Apples have been one of my favorite ingredients in desserts since I was a kid. I love the sweet and tart combo of a good apple pie recipe, baked cinnamon apples and even apple cinnamon oatmeal.
But give me an apple flavored cake and I am in Heaven. With that said though, when I first saw this recipe, I wasn’t immediately convinced. Despite my love of apple recipes, I am not a huge fan of applesauce. However, I was 100% totally wrong and now, this is the best old fashioned applesauce cake I have ever tried!
Make it and you’ll get the sweet and tart flavor of the applesauce combined with a creamy buttercream frosting that just sends it over the top!
When I made my own applesauce cake, I made homemade applesauce, but you can use jarred if you prefer. I prefer to use homemade ingredients whenever I can, but sometimes that isn’t possible and I used apples I had gotten on clearance.
These old fashioned applesauce bars also use brown sugar instead of white granulated sugar. This keeps them from becoming too sweet when you frost them. Finally, you will need a bit of pumpkin pie spice. As I said, this really is a fall recipe, but I love it so much. It’s a great way to use any leftover spices you have from Thanksgiving and your other fall recipes.
What ingredients are needed for old fashioned applesauce cake?
As I said early, old fashioned applesauce cake uses your typical Thanksgiving type spices. You’ll need pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon sugar to get the flavor you’re looking for. Combine that with brown sugar, flour and applesauce and you’ve got an amazing cake that will blow you away!
The best part though? The homemade buttercream frosting!
Since it has applesauce and a buttercream, keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Before you cut it into individual slices, make sure you allow it to come to room temperature.
Can you Freeze Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake Recipe
Yes! This old fashioned applesauce cake freezes so well! To do so, cut it into slices and wrap in plastic wrap. Store your cake pieces in an airtight container in the freezer. To eat, place it in the refrigerator and allow it to thaw fully.
So what do you think? Will you make these this fall? If so, you’ll have to let me know what you think about how it tastes!
Applesauce Cake Bars with Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
Ingredients Needed for Applesauce Cake Bars
- 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- ⅔ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
- ½ tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 Cup Plain Applesauce
- ¼ cup Shortening
- 1 egg
- Cinnamon sugar topping – optional
For the Buttercream Frosting
- 3 Tbsp. Butter
- 2-3 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1-2 tsp. Milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9 x 13 cake pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.1 Cup All-Purpose Flour, 2/3 cup Brown Sugar, 1 tsp. Baking Soda, 1/2 tsp. Salt, 1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Once you have the dry ingredients combined well, add the applesauce, egg and shortening.1 Cup Plain Applesauce, 1/4 cup Shortening, 1 egg, Cinnamon sugar topping – optional
- Once your ingredients are fully combined, pour the cake batter into a greased metal 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Insert a toothpick into the center to test to see if it's done. If the toothpick comes out clean, remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan. If it is not done, bake for 5 minutes more and check again.
- While the cake is cooling, melt the butter in a medium saucepan on med/low until it has started to turn a golden brown color.3 Tbsp. Butter
- When it has melted and cooked the way you want, remove it from the heat and add the vanilla extract and milk then use a wire whisk to gently stir it.1 tsp. Vanilla Extract, 1-2 tsp. Milk
- Add 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar and mix well by hand.2-3 cups Powdered Sugar
- Pour the frosting base into a medium mixing bowl once you have the initial powdered sugar added. Next, add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you have a thick and fluffy frosting.
- After your applesauce cake has cooled completely, spread the buttercream frosting evenly on top.
- Remove the cake from the baking pan and cut into bars. Store your applesauce cake bars in an airtight food storage container in the fridge.