This may look like a simple cake, but its modest appearance hides a deeply satisfying flavor. I tested many apple cake recipes—German, Jewish, and other classics—but this spiced applesauce cake stood out. It’s not a typical dense apple cake built from chopped fruit; instead it relies on applesauce and warming spices to deliver a comforting, moist dessert.

The first time I made this cake I was surprised at how tasty it was. The second time I baked it I had only an hour before leaving for a casual dinner with friends. I wanted something homemade but quick, so I mixed dry ingredients, beat the wet ones, combined them, and popped the batter into a greased pan. It’s that straightforward. With a little extra time I warmed a bit of buttermilk caramel sauce to drizzle on top, which makes the cake feel more special.

I took the cake to the get-together while it was still warm, straight from the oven to the car. At a relaxed dinner among friends that was fine—no one minded it finishing its cooling on the table. Initial reactions were polite, but after the first bite everyone agreed: the cake’s apple and spice notes are delicious and surprising.

This cake is quick to assemble and filled with autumnal flavor. There’s no peeling or chopping apples—just keep unsweetened applesauce on hand and you can bake this at a moment’s notice. The spice blend of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves makes the kitchen smell like fall. Ordinary pantry spices work well, but using high-quality cinnamon and ginger will noticeably improve the flavor.

The buttermilk caramel sauce I paired with this cake is rich, buttery, and surprisingly simple to make. It takes just a few minutes in a saucepan and a handful of ingredients to produce a smooth sauce that’s perfect drizzled over slices. For the cake served at my dinner I made half the sauce recipe and had more than enough; if you want extra to keep on hand, make the full batch and refrigerate the remainder.

That said, the cake is delightful on its own and doesn’t require sauce to be enjoyable. It stays moist for days when stored properly—plain cake (without sauce) kept in a covered container at room temperature will remain tender for at least three days. If you add caramel, refrigerate the sauce separately and warm it before serving.

Spiced Applesauce Cake with Buttermilk Caramel Sauce is an easy, comforting dessert you can pull together in under an hour. It’s ideal for spontaneous gatherings or whenever you want a simple cake that tastes like fall.

Spiced Applesauce Cake with Buttermilk Caramel Sauce

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
• Buttermilk Caramel Sauce (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8” or 9” square cake pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then beat in the applesauce.
5. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined. The batter may look slightly curdled—that’s normal.
6. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 35–40 minutes. If making caramel, you can start it while the cake bakes or while it cools.
7. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then loosen the edges and transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
8. Serve plain or top each slice with warm buttermilk caramel sauce, if desired.

Notes

Store plain cake (without caramel sauce) in a covered container at room temperature. Refrigerate caramel sauce separately and reheat before serving. This cake stays moist for at least three days.

Cake adapted from Smitten Kitchen.