Description
A moist and flavorful Apple Spice Cake featuring a delightful blend of warm spices and a double dose of apple goodness, perfect for dessert or a cozy treat any time of year.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1/2 cup butter, softened (113 grams/8 Tablespoons)
- 1 3/4 cups sugar (350 grams)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup applesauce (unsweetened preferred)
- 2 cups peeled and grated or finely diced apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith recommended)
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour or gluten-free flour (270 grams)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
To Serve
- Buttermilk syrup
- Whipped cream
- Vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch metal pan with butter or cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter & Sugar: Using a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Finish Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, then stir in the applesauce until evenly combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients, Then Apples: Gently fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Next, stir in the grated or diced apples, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the cake browns too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil for the last few minutes of baking. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
- Serve & Store: Slice the cake and serve warm or at room temperature topped with buttermilk syrup, caramel sauce, whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days or at room temperature for 1 to 2 days for optimal freshness.
Notes
- This cake features a perfect balance of warm spices with a moist texture thanks to the combination of applesauce and fresh apples.
- You can substitute the all purpose flour with gluten-free flour if you prefer a gluten-free version.
- If you want to enhance the flavor even more, try topping with cream cheese frosting as an alternative to the suggested syrups and ice cream.
- When grating apples, firm varieties like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith provide the best texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice (1/15th Recipe - Cake Only)
- Calories: 240 kcal
- Sugar: 26.7 g
- Sodium: 293 mg
- Fat: 7.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 2.9 g
- Cholesterol: 41 mg
