I didn’t know, until the day of writing this, that there is such a thing as National Applesauce Cake Day. There are so many national days of recognition for various foods, it is hard to keep track of them all. National Applesauce Cake Day is on Saturday, June 6.
Just about everyone in my family exchanges recipes, and as far as I know, applesauce cake is very popular with them. Friends of the family are the same, so perhaps it is somewhat universal. If you are also a fan of this type of cake, it is my hope that you will find at least one keeper in the following recipes.
One little mention about applesauce: if you want to cut back on vegetable oil, which appears in many cake and quick bread recipes, substituting applesauce helps keep an appealing moisture level. Even in recipes that don’t call for oil, I often will add one of those snack packs of applesauce (like kids use in their lunches). Another trick is to add a small container of yogurt, especially to quick breads.
I hope you are getting along well with this weather. On the day of this writing, it is rainy and cold. One day the cooler is on, and the next, we run the heater. I enjoy the rain, as it gives me a break from my pollen allergies.
Take good care, all.
Applesauce cake
Adapted from a Southern Living recipe. I have not tried adding extra applesauce to this recipe as an oil substute.
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup sugar (white granulated)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
Frosting:
3/4 cup apple juice
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess paper to fold over sides of pan. (Allowing excess parchment paper to fold down over the edges of the pan creates a sling that you can use to easily lift the hot cake out of the pan. That means you can get the cake to a wire rack easily, cleanly and quickly so that it can cool down faster.)
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together applesauce, brown sugar, oil, granulated sugar, vanilla extract and egg. Add applesauce mixture to flour mixture and stir until well combined.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing top. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 22 to 25 minutes.
5. Lift cake out of pan using parchment paper and cool completely on a wire rack. While cake cools, prepare frosting.
6. Pour apple juice into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook until juice is reduced to 1 1/2 tablespoons, 5 to 7 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
7. When cake is cooled, place butter and salt in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating at low speed after each addition. With mixer on low speed, beat in vanilla extract and reduced apple juice. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.
9. Spread frosting over cooled cake. (Original recipe said it makes 12 servings, but it is only an 8-inch square, so cut pieces as you see fit.)
Applesauce raisin cake
3/4 cup raisins
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon each, ground cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Confectioners’ sugar, for topping, optional
1. Place raisins and hot water in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 300. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Beat in egg.
3. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and spices; add to creamed mixture alternately with applesauce and water. Drain raisins; fold into batter with the walnuts.
4.Transfer mixture to a greased 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place pan on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Serve warm or cold. Makes 12 to 16 servings.
Vegan applesauce cake
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour*
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice, or ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
3/4 cup dairy-free milk, room temperature
1/2 cup neutral flavored oil
1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar, or even lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Buttercream frosting:
1 cup vegan block butter, room temperature
3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, as needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons dairy-free milk, as needed
Optional topping:
1 batch caramelized apples (recipe follows)
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line with parchment paper, a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
2. To a large bowl, add all of the dry ingredients and whisk until very well combined and there are no lumps.
3. Add all of the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Be sure to not overmix. Some lumps in the cake batter are fine, as long as they aren’t lumps of dry flour. The batter will be slightly thick.
4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula or spoon.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 32 to 38 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick in the center of the cake and it comes out clean. The cake should be ready in 35 minutes, so you can start testing it then. (This is a moist applesauce cake, so it is okay if the toothpick has a few moist crumbs.)
6. Place the cake pan on a cooling rack and let the cake cool completely.
7. To make the buttercream frosting: Add the vegan butter to a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract and beat until just combined. Add more sugar for a firmer frosting or more milk for a softer frosting.
8. When the cake is completely cooled, spread the frosting on the cake. If desired, swirl the caramel from the caramelized apples into the frosting then dot with the apples. Cut into square slices as desired.
*Note: Make sure you measure the flour accurately, otherwise, your cake might be dry and dense. If you’re using measuring cups, use the spoon and level method where you fluff up the flour in the bag, use a spoon to add flour to a measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. It is not recommended to use the measuring cup to scoop flour out of your container as too much flour will result in a dense cake. Makes 12 servings.
Caramelized apples
2 medium apples, peeled or unpeeled, cubed
2 tablespoons vegan butter, or oil
1/4 cup packed brown sugar or coconut sugar*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Generous pinch of salt, if using unsalted butter
1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the apples, sugar and spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the apples are almost tender and slightly golden brown.
3. Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until they are your desired consistency. If the apples stick to the frypan, add a dash of water. The longer you cook the apples, the softer and more caramelized they will be.
Note: These caramelized apples are best served within a few hours. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days. Also, if you want extra gooey caramelized apples with extra caramel sauce, use 1/3 cup of brown sugar.