This Apple Sauce Spice Cake is a moist and fragrant egg-free cake made with apple sauce, warming pumpkin pie spice, and light brown sugar. It can easily be made vegan by swapping the butter for vegan butter for the frosting and using non dairy milk too.
It’s perfect for your fancy occasions - topped with a creamy brown sugar frosting, it is an easy, flavourful dessert that gets even better as it sits!
Apple Sauce Spice Cake serves: 8-10
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
You will need
• 1 1/2 cups/180g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp/3g salt
• 2 1/2 tsp/10g baking powder
• 1/2 tsp/2g baking soda
• 2 tsp/4g pumpkin pie spice blend
• 1/2 tsp/1g ground allspice
• 3/4 cup/180g unsweetened apple sauce
• 3/4 cup/150g light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup/78ml neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or sunflower)
• 1/2 cup/120ml milk (or non-dairy replacement)
• 2 tsp/10ml vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp/15ml apple cider vinegar
• 6 tbsp/85g unsalted butter (or vegan butter), very soft
• 4 tbsp/50g light brown sugar
• Pinch salt
• 1 1/4 cup/150g powdered sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Grease a 9”/22cm round cake pan or spring-form pan and line the bottom with parchment.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and allspice.
Whisk until combined.
3. In a large bowl combine the apple sauce, sugar, and oil. Whisk to blend.
4. Add in the milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and well emulsified.
5. Add the flour mixture. Whisk until no lumps remain.
6. Pour into the prepared baking pan and shake to level.
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
8. Cool completely in the pan.
9. While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. Combine the soft butter and brown sugar in a bowl.
Use a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed to cream until the butter is light and smooth, about 3 minutes, so the brown sugar fully dissolves and the frosting is not grainy.
10. Add the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy, beginning on low speed and slowly increasing to high. Keep the frosting at room temperature to spread.
11. Once the cake is cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top. Dust with pumpkin pie spice if desired.
Tips and tricks!
• For the smoothest frosting, cream the butter and brown sugar for about 3 minutes so the brown sugar dissolves and the frosting is not grainy.
• Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
Substitutions: Use vegan butter in the frosting and a non-dairy milk to make the cake vegan.
• Most non-dairy milks work, except coconut milk, as its high fat content can interfere with the structure of the cake.
• Use canola, sunflower, vegetable, or avocado oil as the neutral oil, but do not use coconut oil.
Variations: If you do not have pumpkin pie spice blend, make your own with 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cloves, and optionally 1/2 tsp cardamom.
Storage: Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving. The cake flavour will improve as it sits.
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