Description
Comforting Amish applesauce cake brings warmth from Pennsylvania kitchens with its rich, moist crumb and classic spice blend. Homemade goodness fills your home with nostalgic aromas that connect generations through simple, heartwarming baking traditions.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon nutmeg
Wet Ingredients:
- 0.5 cup applesauce
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup brown sugar
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Add-ins:
- 0.5 cup chopped walnuts or raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a 9-inch baking pan by greasing and lightly flouring the surface to prevent sticking.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg using a whisk, ensuring all dry ingredients are evenly mixed.
- Using an electric mixer, cream butter with granulated and brown sugars until the mixture becomes light and airy, creating a smooth base for the cake.
- Incorporate eggs one at a time into the butter mixture, mixing thoroughly after each addition to create a uniform texture.
- Blend in vanilla extract and applesauce, stirring until the wet ingredients are completely integrated and smooth.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined to maintain the cake’s delicate texture.
- If desired, gently fold in chopped walnuts or raisins to add extra dimension and crunch to the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula to ensure even distribution.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is fully cooked.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional: Create a simple vanilla glaze by whisking powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled cake for added sweetness.
Notes
- Swap applesauce for different fruit purees like pumpkin or mashed bananas to create unique flavor variations.
- Toast chopped walnuts before adding to enhance their nutty richness and provide a deeper, more complex taste profile.
- Consider reducing sugar by 25% if using very sweet applesauce, preventing an overly sugary final product.
- Transform this into a gluten-free cake by substituting all-purpose flour with a reliable 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 204
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg