Today I felt like making something simple and homey, and there's nothing that fits that description quite like an applesauce cake. In this case, it's "Spicy Applesauce Bundt Cake" made with White Lily flour (but you can use regular all-purpose), cinnamon, nuts and raisins.
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I didn't take a lot of notes when making this cake, but it was very good and I should make it more often. I love that it's an apple cake but you don't have to bother with peeling and chopping apples. It's got enough butter to make it feel rich and satisfying like a dessert cake and not at apple quick bread or something more breakfast-y.
Six Inch Applesauce Bundt Cake
This recipe makes a 10 inch Bundt cake. If you don't need quite so much cake you can halve the recipe and bake it in a 6 inch Bundt pan.
Recipe
Spicy Applesauce Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour or 3 cups White Lily all-purpose should weigh 12 ounces (336 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (228 grams)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed (210 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup coarsely chopped and toasted pecans
- 1 cup golden raisins optional
- Confectioner's Sugar for dusting top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If using a black bundt cake pan, preheat to 325 degrees F. Spray a 10 inch (12 cup) bundt pan with flour-added cooking spray or grease and flour using your favorite method.
- Stir together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and both sugars. Beat on high until creamy. Beat in eggs. Stir in applesauce. By hand or using lowest speed of a stand mixer with paddle, stir in flour mixture until it is fully incorporated. Stir in pecans and raisins (if using).
- Pour into bundt pan and bake cake until it is done. This should take anywhere from 60 to 70 minutes. To test for doneness, poke a wooden skewere or toothpick in cake. If it comes out clean, it is done.
- Let it cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then turn from pan and let cool completely. Before serving, sift confectioners' sugar over top.
Anna says
Wow! The apple butter was a brilliant substitution. I am so glad to hear it worked.
Mark M. says
Used apple-pecan butter from my local orchard; added 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp cardamon. Neighborhood went crazy. Food pandemoneum.
Kim says
I made this today, and the family loved it!
I left out the nuts and used golden raisins. I also had a bit of leftover sour cream, and I used a quarter cup of it, and only one and three quarters cups of applesauce.
It was divine. I'll definitely make this again.
Therese/Wisconsin Cheesehead says
Anna:
I am gonna try rubbing cardamom on my thighs!! I will let you know what happens! TEE HEE
The cake looks great, per the usual! Do you sing happy birthday to the bundt....I am on a roll now! Having fun on a Thurs. nite!
Thanks for all your hard work on your blog! It's appreciated.
Jackie says
Anna,
I'm glad to hear you are writing a diet book. I knew you had a few diet secrets up your sleeve. I am really good at finding typos in books if you need someone to proofread it.
T. Martin says
May try this one just so I can use some of the cardamom I have.
Anna, do you measure applesauce as a solid or liquid?
Anna says
Jackie, I am glad Martha recognized Bundt Cake day. See, the Bundt Cake revival has begun...
T, did you hear the news? Yesterday was Bundt Cake day!! 😉
Hi Sara, thanks for checking out the blog. I'm writing a book with all my diet secrets, so stay tuned. Just kidding. My secret is really boring -- I eat everything, but in small portions. Also, before I eat cookies, I eat a full meal with lots of protein and vegetables. I save the carbs for dessert (cookies). My overall diet is kind of like The Zone, but with a few cookies thrown in. I also walk a lot.
I'm joining a new gym today -- a Lance Armstrong venture. He's supposed to be there this evening so it's going to be packed.
Jen, I'll be interested in hearing what you have to say about the White Lily.
Jen says
Cardamom is excellent with anything apple!
I'll be curious about the White Lily, too. It was on sale the other day and I picked up a bag thinking I could just sub it willy-nilly in my cake recipes. Hope that's the case!
Sara W. says
Ok Missy, I have checked out your blog in depth and am very impressed with your baking skills, creativity and curiosity for new and innovative recipes. Now I must ask you this? How muhdear do you manage to stay trim with all of these delicious baked goods floating around in your house?? You sound like a good person to ask for weight management tips because you must have uber-control!
tg says
ha, DUH, i missed joe's comment... wotta dope. so hey, did you hear that it was BUNDT CAKE DAY?
p.s. i liked the pic of the cookbook. those little touches are great. were it a different blog, i'd request pix of the SHOES too
Jackie says
I heard that Martha did a segment about Bundt cakes on her show on Bundt Cake Day. I plan on checking out her site as I hear there are some good recipes. Not that I really need more recipes now that I've found cookiemadness.net! As usual your cake looks great.
I sympathize with your shoe problem. I have big feet too.
Anna says
Wow! I did not consciously set out to bake a cake on Bundt Cake day. Perhaps some compartment in my brain had stored the date so I made it without knowing why? I'm serving up the cake today and will report back.
Mary, you could put it in your coffee or your could start drinking chai. Cardamom is one of the main spices (along with ginger and cinnamon) in chai.
tg says
i could swear i read somewhere that nov 15 is "bundt cake day"
mary says
I looovvve that cardamom is supposed to make you feel good about your body. I'm going to start putting it in my coffee.
Joe says
Good for you on making a Bundt cake on National Bundt Cake Day! I didn't plan ahead far enough to do so... I'll be interested to hear what you think of the texture with using White Lily!