This Applesauce Cake Recipe is perfectly spiced and flavorful, topped with an easy cream cheese frosting. Bake this cake with simple ingredients, all in one bowl!
author’s note
One Bowl, Big Flavor, Zero Fuss!
I’ve always loved baking with applesauce. It keeps baked goods so moist, adds natural sweetness, and brings that cozy flavor I grew up with.
My mom used it all the time, and now it’s one of my favorite baking staples. This Applesauce Cake is the best example of why. It’s tender, full of warm spice, and so simple to make in just one bowl.
The cream cheese frosting makes it extra special, but it’s just as delicious plain or with a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps or Tips |
|---|---|
| Unsweetened Applesauce | Use homemade or store-bought, but avoid sweetened so you control the sugar. |
| Coconut Oil | Melt and cool before adding. Swap with canola or vegetable oil if preferred. |
| Brown Sugar | You can use coconut sugar for a less refined option. |
| Oat Flour | Make your own by blending oats or buy it pre-ground. Regular all-purpose flour works if you don’t need it gluten-free. |
| Spices | Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice give the cake its flavor. Adjust amounts or add cloves/ginger for extra spice. |
| Pecans | Optional but add crunch. Swap for walnuts or leave out entirely. |
Quick Tip
To make this cake gluten-free: Check ingredient labels for any gluten processing. Even small amounts of gluten can be harmful to those with celiac disease.
How To Make This Applesauce Cake Recipe
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In one bowl, whisk together applesauce, melted coconut oil, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle baking soda, baking powder, salt, spices, and oat flour right on top. Stir until just combined. Fold in pecans.
- Bake: Transfer to a lined 8×8-inch pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool & Frost: Let cake cool completely, then spread on cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle extra pecans if you like.
Featured Comment
“I make this recipe all the time, exactly as printed and it always comes out perfect. This is my go-to snack cake and everyone enjoys it! Thank you for sharing this recipe.”
– Laura
Storage
Store this applesauce cake recipe at room temp, covered with plastic wrap. It’s best within 1-2 days.
For longer storage, freeze un-frosted pieces for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature and then frost.
More Apple Recipes:
Desserts
Applesauce Bread
Breakfast
Healthy Apple Muffins
Desserts
Caramel Apple Bar
Desserts
Apple Crumble
Applesauce Cake Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted and cooled, see note 1
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup oat flour blend up old-fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans optional
- 1/3 cup raisins optional
- 2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Chopped pecans optional, for topping
Instructions
- Set out cream cheese to warm to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or the cake will not come out easily. Melt coconut oil and let cool to room temperature (see note 1).
- In a large bowl, stir together applesauce, melted and cooled coconut oil, egg, vanilla extract, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg to the bowl, then add oat flour (see note 2). If using, add chopped pecans and raisins. Mix until combined and smooth.
- Pour batter into the lined 8×8 pan. Bake for 28–33 minutes or until a fork inserted comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
- In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and vanilla extract with a hand mixer until smooth. Add salt. If you’d like a tangier or soft frosting, only add 1-1/4 cups powdered sugar. For a sweeter, thicker frosting, add closer to 1-3/4 cups. Gradually add desired amount of powdered sugar, beating between additions, until the frosting is smooth and creamy and to your desired consistency. Add a bit of milk if too thick.
- Frost the cooled cake evenly. If desired, top with chopped pecans.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Applesauce Cake Recipe
It often replaces butter or oil. In this cake, it also stands in for some of the sugar, adding natural sweetness.
Yes, just use certified gluten-free oats for the oat flour. Double-check all ingredient labels to avoid cross-contamination.
Definitely! This cake is flavorful enough on its own. A light dusting of powdered sugar works great too.
Love your healthy flourless applesauce spice cake recipe. I’ll definitely try it, but instead of 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, I’ll use 1/2! I found your post from Pinterest! I’m also gonna pin this post on my Pinterest board my followers will love it. Thanks for sharing, Chelsea!
You are so sweet Bella! Thank you! I hope you enjoy! 🙂
This looks amazing! I’d like to make it as a smash cake for my baby girl ( since all other recipes I tried with banana and egg turn out horribly mushy and not cooked even over an hour baking in the oven..) is there any mushiness to this cake? Would you say it’s okay for a baby? I’m goig to omit the vanilla extract though for alcohol reasons. 🙂
I think it would make for a wonderful smash cake! 🙂 I wouldn’t say it is mushy, but it is moist 🙂
Hi
I like the recipe,just have Q about the calories
Hi there
Can u tell me what are the components of allspice …”??
Thanks in advance
Hi! For 1 teaspoon of allspice: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Enjoy!
I was looking for something healthy and sugar free for my friend’s birthday and this was perfect! I only substituted the sugar with raisin puree. It was a hit! I’ll definitely use this recipe again and again.
I’m thrilled this was a hit! Thank you so much for the comment!
I am not being melodramatic when I say that 1.) I am on the verge of happy tears and 2.) I never EVER post on food blogs (though I love them dearly).
This is an exception in every sense of the word. I almost gave up looking for any sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free dessert, but this one…oh my god. It’s light, it’s fluffy, it’s sweet, it’s chewy, it’s everything that you crave at the end of a meal and it DOES NOT DISAPPOINT. I didn’t make the cream cheese frosting, but made a coconut meringue and it tasted divine and complimented the coconut oil in the recipe well!
LOVE LOVE LOVE AND MANY HUGS FROM A NEW FAN,
Sarah <3
Thanks for this recipe – looks delicious. Any alternatives to the brown sugar?
I haven’t tried it, so I can’t tell you how well it will work, but I believe coconut sugar would do well in its place.
This was delicious, thanks!
Can you make this with mashed banana instead of the applesauce.
I’ve never tried that, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. You may need a little more liquid though. I’d love to hear your results!
I only had a half cup of applesauce on hand. So I mashed one banana, such that the applesauce plus banana totaled one cup. It turned out wonderfully with a nice bit of banana flavor to the cake.
Yay! So happy you were able to make it work! Thanks Kim! 🙂
Just made this last night, watched in amazement as the entire thing was demolished, and now I’m making it again.
Thank you so much for such a delicious recipe!
Just one question… Why is it called flourless if it has oat flour? 😛
Flourless or not, it’s amazing!
So, so happy to hear that! I’m glad this was so well enjoyed!! And great question! I should probably be more clear that I’m talking about refined or wheat flours. I usually just think of oat flour as blended up oats and not a type of “flour” 🙂