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    Home » Desserts

    Vegan Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake

    Date: October 21, 2020 | 6:28 pm, Connie Edwards McGaughy - 28 Comments This post may contain affiliate links. See AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE below.

    Jump to Recipe

    Vegan Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake 🍏 We've updated a beloved family recipe by creating the perfect marriage of apples, spice and everything nice using all vegan ingredients in this scrumptiously moist & delicious cake.

    vegan old fashioned applesauce cake with cranberries inside a bundt pan

    Few aromas are more enticing than the welcoming scent of baked apples, cinnamon and nutmeg wafting from the kitchen. I love vegan apple crisp and apple pie, but there's nothing quite like enjoying a cup of coffee or tea (sweetened with homemade vegan apple honey) and a slice of this wonderfully sweet, lightly spicy and deliciously moist applesauce cake.

    This recipe is one that has been in my family for generations, handed down from my great aunt - to my mother - to me - and now, to my daughter Madison. I have been creating and curating a collection of vegan fall and Thanksgiving inspired recipes and asked Madi if she would work her culinary magic on Aunt Velma’s old fashioned applesauce cake by replacing the dairy and eggs with plant-based ingredients. We couldn't believe how great it smelled while baking and how gorgeous it looked when she took it out of the oven. Then we tasted it. OMG. It was so fantastic we decided to make another one - this time with fresh cranberries. Holy wow!

    This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn from purchases at no additional cost to you.

    How to make Apple Sauce Cake

    I decided to use a Bundt pan to bake this cake, but you can also use a basic round or square cake pan.

    Equipment

    • Electric mixer (hand or stand)
    • 2 large mixing bowls
    • A 9" bundt/tube pan or square baking pan
    • Measuring spoons
    • Measuring cup
    • A silicone spatula

    Ingredients

    • Flour 
    • Applesauce - homemade or store-bought
    • Baking soda
    • Salt
    • Cinnamon - ground
    • Nutmeg - ground
    • Cloves - ground
    • Butter - vegan
    • Sugar - granulated
    • Vegan egg replacer – we used Bob’s Red Mill or you can use flax seed (1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons water = 1 egg)
    • Vanilla

    Applesauce is, of course, the key ingredient in the marvelous cake. You can use sweetened or unsweetened, smooth or chunky, depending on your preference. Personally, I love to make homemade applesauce, so that is what we used. If you haven't created your own before, it's super simple and so delicious!

    Easy Homemade Applesauce

    🥕See the printable recipe below for complete details.

    Ingredients for making old fashioned vegan applesauce cake.

    Gather your ingredients. I love using homemade applesauce & fresh cranberries.

    Ingredients for making old fashione vegan applesauce cake.

    Ready to put the batter-filled pan in the oven!

    A bundt pan filled with batter for old fashioned vegan apple sauce cake.

    I decided to finish this cranberry applesauce cake with a light dusting of powdered sugar, which gives it a festive holiday look. While this cake is perfectly delish just as is, if you prefer your cake with a little something extra, why not drizzle the top with a simple lemon glaze icing (see notes in the recipe below) or slather on some of our luscious vegan lemon cream cheese frosting. Enjoy!

    • Old fashioned vegan applesauce cake on a tray.

    Variations

    This recipe is so easy to prepare. One of the things I love about it is the variety of ingredients you can add to the basic batter. You can create a lot of different cakes with just one simple recipe.

    For this post, we included fresh cranberries. They were a fabulous addition. The tart berries provided a colorful and tasty contrast to the lightly spicy and sweet cake. Imagine what else you can add? Here's a few ideas:

    • Fresh blueberries
    • Chopped walnuts or pecans
    • Chopped fresh apples
    • Golden raisins
    • Chopped dates

    A (very) brief history of Applesauce Cake

    Since this recipe certainly has a history in our family, I was curious to see how it originated. According to Wikipedia it dates all the way back to colonial times in the United States. In fact, this delicious dessert is so popular there is an official day dedicated to it - National Applesauce Cake Day which occurs annually on June 6th. Now that's something sweet to celebrate!

    🥕If you love this recipe, here are a few more sweet ideas!

    • Vegan Honey with Apple Juice & Clover
    • Easy Vegan Applesauce
    • Vegan Orange Cranberry Bread
    • Easy Vegan Homemade Pumpkin Bread
    • Vegan Oatmeal Muffins
    • Vegan Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

    very vegan 🍏 very good

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, please rate it using stars in the comment section below the recipe. It helps other readers find it online & decide if they want to give it a try too!. Thanks a bunch!🥕

    vegan old fshioned applesauce cake

    Vegan Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake

    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 206kcal
    Author: Connie 🥕
    Vegan Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake 🍏 We've updated a beloved family recipe by creating the perfect marriage of apples, spice and everything nice using all vegan ingredients in this scrumptiously moist & delicious cake.
    Print Recipe
    US Customary - Metric

    Equipment

    • Electric mixer (hand or stand)
    • 2 large mixing bowls
    • A 9" bundt/tube pan or square baking pan
    • Measuring spoons
    • Measuring cup
    • A silicone spatula

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups flour all-purpose
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
    • ½ teaspoon nutmeg ground
    • ½ teaspoon cloves ground
    • ½ cup vegan butter softened - not melted (I like Miyoko's butter)
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 2 vegan egg replacer* equivalent of 2 eggs - see suggestions in 🥕Notes
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 cup applesauce chilled

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F
    • In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside.
    • In another large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, vegan egg replacer and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined and smooth.
    • Add applesauce to wet ingredients. Mix until combined then gradually add in dry ingredients. Continue mixing on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes.
    • Fold in cranberries, nuts or any other add-ins to the batter.
      🥕See notes below.
    • Prepare baking pan by coating with butter or oil and then dusting with flour.
    • Pour batter into pan. Place in oven on middle shelf.
    • Bake at 350° for 55 minutes.
    • Place cake in pan on a cooling rack for at least 15 - 20 minutes prior to removing from pan. Allow to cool completely before adding icing or powdered sugar.
      🥕See notes below.
    • Leftover cake is best stored (covered) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

    Notes

    🥕This recipe is for basic Vegan Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake, which is absolutely scrumptious all on its own. You can enjoy it just as it is or add one or more extra ingredients such as: 
    • ⅔ cup whole fresh cranberries or blueberries (lightly dusted in flour)
    • ⅔ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
    • ⅔ cup chopped apples
    • ⅔ cup golden raisins
    🥕Vegan egg replacer – we used Bob’s Red Mill or you can use flax seed (1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons water = 1 egg)
    🥕To frost or not to frost? That is the question. This sweet and moist cake can be enjoyed with or without icing or frosting, but if you decide to add a little something extra, might I suggest:
    • A light dusting of powdered sugar over the top of the cake. It's a perfect finish as a holiday dessert. Simply pour a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar into a small strainer or sifter and lightly shake it over the cake until it's as you like it!
    • Drizzle the top of the cake with a lemon glaze icing. Combine ½ cup powdered sugar with ¼ cup lemon juice (add juice 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency). Drizzle with a teaspoon over top of cake. You could also make a similar icing with apple juice and a pinch of cinnamon.
    • Frost the cake with vegan lemon cream cheese frosting. See the recipe here.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 347mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 366IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? I love to see your photos!Mention @thecarrotunderground or tag #thecarrotunderground!

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, please rate it in the comments below. Sharing your experience helps others decide if they should give it a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕

    « Easy Homemade Applesauce
    Simple Cranberry Orange Sauce »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kayla DiMaggio

      September 11, 2021 at 7:59 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! This applesauce cake has all the great flavors of Fall! I loved it so much!

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        September 12, 2021 at 8:44 pm

        Kayla, you're so right. It's my favorite Fall dessert next to pumpkin bread!🍎🎃 Thanks a bunch!🥕

        Reply
    2. Andrea White

      September 11, 2021 at 7:04 pm

      5 stars
      The perfect sweet treat! I love it! 🙂

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        September 12, 2021 at 8:41 pm

        It really is! Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Sam

      September 11, 2021 at 5:50 pm

      5 stars
      This is absolutely delicious!! I love using applesauce in baking and the idea of adding cranberries is irresistible. Love!

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        September 12, 2021 at 5:41 pm

        Hi Sam, thanks so much! I'd love to hear if you give it a go!💚

        Reply
    4. Carol

      July 31, 2021 at 1:05 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so moist and wonderfully delicious!
      I am going to sub chopped pitted dates for the cranberries. I have always loved a good applesauce cake! It is incredibly comforting.

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        July 31, 2021 at 1:09 pm

        Carol, dates would be scrumptious in this cake, great idea! Do let me know how it turns out. Happy baking!🥣

        Reply
    5. Helga

      June 15, 2021 at 8:23 am

      5 stars
      This cake is yummy! I used 2 cups of applesauce just because I had it and wanted to use it up. Didn’t leave out the butter. The cake was very moist and delish 😋

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        June 15, 2021 at 2:37 pm

        Hi Helga! Isn't it a great cake? I bet that extra applesauce made it extra moist. So glad you love the recipe & thanks a bunch for sharing!🍎🌱

        Reply
    6. Karen

      April 07, 2021 at 6:56 pm

      Can you use a gluten free flour?

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        April 07, 2021 at 6:59 pm

        Hi Karen! I haven't baked this cake with gluten-free flour, but I would imagine you can. Do you have a favorite GF flour for cakes? I have used Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur 1:1 gluten-free flours in baking.

        Reply
    7. Lindsay

      March 06, 2021 at 7:43 pm

      5 stars
      I made this cake a few nights ago and I'm super happy with it! I substituted flax for the egg replacer, baking powder for the soda, and extra applesauce for the butter and the cake rose beautifully and is still super moist and tasty! Definitely adding this into my cake rotation! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        March 06, 2021 at 10:24 pm

        Lindsay - I've been curious about replacing the butter with more applesauce & I'm so glad you tried it & loved the results. Thanks a bunch for sharing your experience! 💚🥕

        Reply
    8. Connie Edwards McGaughy

      November 10, 2020 at 6:32 am

      5 stars
      There's very good reason why applesauce cake is so popular. It's absolutely delicious and this vegan version is over-the-top scrumptious!

      Reply
    9. Jayne

      October 25, 2020 at 1:13 pm

      Could this be made without the oil or is there a replacement for it?

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        October 25, 2020 at 1:20 pm

        Hi Jayne - good question. I haven't prepared this particular recipe without using butter, but if I did, I would replace it with 1/2 cup (more) applesauce.🍎 Love to hear if you give it a try! 🥕

        Reply
      • Lindsay

        March 06, 2021 at 7:39 pm

        5 stars
        I just made this cake a couple nights ago and substituted applesauce for the butter and it came out really good!

        Reply
    10. Janet

      October 25, 2020 at 2:13 am

      Hi, I would like to make this cake but what can I substitute for the egg replacer? I don’t like using it. Thanks. Janet

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        October 25, 2020 at 3:06 am

        Hi Janet! I'm happy you want to make this cake 🍏 it's so delish! Here are a couple options for egg replacers that I have used in other cake recipes with great success. I haven't tried them in this one, but I can imagine either will do the trick: Option 1. Ground Flax Meal - Combine one tablespoon flax meal (ground flax seed) with 3 tablespoons water per egg - which would be a total of 2 tbsps flax meal & 6 tbsp water since this recipe requires the equivalent of 2 eggs. Option 2. Soda Water - Use 1/4 cup carbonated water per egg (1/2 cup total for this recipe).
        I'd love to hear what you choose to use & how your cake turns out! Happy baking!🥕

        Reply
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