Grandma's Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake Recipes

An old fashioned applesauce cake recipe makes a delicious moist cake with the traditional flavors of fall. And along with wholesome ingredients, these flavorful cakes taste even better when the applesauce is homemade. So, I've also included an easy applesauce recipe for making your own.

You will love how the spicy apple fragrance wafts throughout your house while this easy-to-make cake bakes in the oven. Just close your eyes and imagine you're in Grandma's farmhouse kitchen.

Grandma's Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake Recipe

Submitted by J. Anthony

Grandma's Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake

Grandmas traditional applesauce cake is easy to make and perfectly spiced with cinnamon, cloves and allspice. It's moist and delicious on its own or when frosted or served with your favorite ice cream.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 large egg (1/3 cup)
1 1/2 cups applesauce (thick and unsweetened)
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup water
1 cup walnuts (chopped)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cream shortening and sugar till fluffy.
2. Beat in egg, then applesauce.
3. Mix and sift flour, baking soda, salt, and spices together.
4. Stir in alternately with water.
5. Bake 45 to 50 minutes at 350°F, minimally, in greased and floured 13 x 9 x 2-inch oblong pan.
6. Cool on cake rack.
7. Serve plain, dusted with sugar, or frosted.

Notes

Serve your applesauce cake from the pan or you might prefer to first line pan with parchment paper and lift cake onto a serving tray after baking.

You could also use the same batter to make a batch of delicious applesauce muffins instead of a cake.

Old Fashioned Applesauce Recipe

The Book of Household Management (1861)

Ingredients:

1 Pound fresh apples (sweet apples or tart, your choice)
1-1/2 ounces sugar, or to taste (about 3 tablespoons sugar)
1 Ounce butter (1 tablespoon soft butter, well rounded)
A little water, if necessary

How to Make Applesauce From Scratch: Peel, core, and slice the apples, put the apple slices into a saucepan with the sugar, butter, and a very little water, and cook them until tender. Add more sugar if necessary for good flavor, before serving.

Mom's Best Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake Recipes

Mom's Recipe Scrapbooks (1920s)

Homemade Applesauce Cake With Spices

1-3/4 cups sifted flour
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg, well-beaten
1 cup unsweetened applesauce

Set oven for moderate (350°F). Grease and flour a loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.

Sift together flour, spices, salt, and baking soda into small bowl. Cream shortening in large bowl. Add sugar gradually; continue beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Stir in applesauce. Add sifted dry ingredients; stir only enough to blend. Pour batter into pan.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched with fingertip. Remove from oven and cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove cake from pan and finish cooling on a rack. Serve plain or frost with Butter Frosting.

Butter Frosting

Blend together 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, and 1/4 cup butter. Gradually add about 2 tablespoons cream. Stir until smooth. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring, 1/2 teaspoon orange flavoring, and a few drops each yellow and red food coloring, if desired. Mix to blend well for easy spreading.

Traditional Applesauce Spice Cake

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 cup raisins
1/4 pound mixed peel
1-1/2 cups hot applesauce
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Nutmeg to taste
2-1/2 cups flour
2 level teaspoons baking soda dissolved in the hot applesauce
3 tablespoons molasses are sometimes added.

Mix all ingredients in large mixing bowl, pour batter into a prepared (greased) loaf pan and bake in a moderate oven (about 350°F) till done. Dust with powdered sugar to decorate.

Old Fashioned Applesauce and Raisin Cake

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, or lard
2-1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups stoned raisins

Bake in prepared cake pan in a moderate oven (350°F) till done. Makes a delicious cake.

Vintage Chocolate Applesauce Cake

8 tablespoons butter
1 cup white sugar (3/4 cup if using sweetened applesauce)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup applesauce (unsweetened)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon each cinnamon and salt
1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg and allspice
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (or 1 ounce chocolate chips)
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (dissolved in hot water)

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly in large bowl, add egg and vanilla beating well.

Combine flour, salt, spices, and cocoa in small bowl. Then add flour mixture alternately with applesauce to large bowl, beating after each addition.

Add nuts and raisins last with flour. Mix in baking soda dissolved. Bake in greased loaf pan for 1 hour at 325°F.

Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake: Frequently Asked Questions

About Grandma's Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake Recipes