Description
Homemade Amish Applesauce Cake offers a comforting slice of traditional Pennsylvania Dutch baking. Rich spices and moist texture highlight this classic dessert that connects generations of home cooks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups (590 ml) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (475 ml) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup (75 g) raisins
- ½ cup (60 g) chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons (30–45 ml) milk or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and grease a 9×13-inch or 9-inch round pan with flour for easy release.
- Creaming: Whip butter with granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy, creating a smooth foundational mixture.
- Wet Ingredients: Add eggs one at a time, then blend in vanilla extract and applesauce until fully integrated and uniform.
- Dry Ingredients: Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together, ensuring even distribution of spices and leavening agents.
- Combining: Delicately fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, minimizing stirring to preserve cake’s tender crumb. Gently incorporate raisins and nuts if desired.
- Baking: Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing surface evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cooling: Rest cake in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Optional: Create a silky glaze by whisking powdered sugar with milk and vanilla, then drizzle elegantly over the cooled cake.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Stir dry and wet ingredients minimally to maintain a tender, soft cake texture without developing tough gluten strands.
- Customize Spice Blend: Adjust cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves proportions to match personal taste preferences or seasonal mood.
- Check Moisture Level: Use room temperature applesauce for smoother batter integration and consistent cake moisture throughout.
- Enhance Dietary Options: Substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free blend, use plant-based butter, and replace eggs with flax eggs for alternative dietary needs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 238
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 155 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 33 mg