Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting: A Comforting Taste of Home

Few desserts capture the essence of cozy warmth and nostalgic charm quite like a perfectly baked applesauce cake. This Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is a quintessential comfort food, offering a moist, tender crumb infused with the sweet and aromatic spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It’s a delightful blend of rustic simplicity and sophisticated flavor, making it equally perfect for a casual family dessert or an elegant gathering.

What truly elevates this cake is the generous layer of Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. Its tangy, creamy texture and hint of warm cinnamon beautifully complement the cake’s spiced sweetness, creating a harmonious balance that is utterly irresistible. This recipe is straightforward to follow, promising a consistently moist cake and a dreamy frosting that will make every slice feel like a warm hug. Get ready to fill your home with the inviting aroma of autumn baking, no matter the season!

Ingredients:

For the Applesauce Cake:

1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup (240g) unsweetened applesauce (ensure it’s unsweetened for best flavor balance)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened at room temperature (full-fat for richest flavor)
¼ cup (55g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
3 cups (360g) powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar), sifted if clumpy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Equipment:

8×8-inch (20×20 cm) baking dish
Medium mixing bowl (for dry ingredients)
Large mixing bowl (or stand mixer with paddle attachment, for wet ingredients and batter)
Whisk
Electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer, for cake and frosting)
Rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Wire cooling rack

Instructions:

Part 1: Preparing the Applesauce Cake

Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and flour an 8×8-inch baking dish, ensuring the bottom and sides are well coated. This helps prevent sticking and promotes an even rise.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt. Whisk well to ensure all the spices and leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add Egg, Applesauce, and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg until just combined. Then, stir in the unsweetened applesauce and vanilla extract until well combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this point, which is normal due to the applesauce’s acidity.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients mixture to the wet ingredients in the large bowl. Mix on low speed (or stir by hand with a rubber spatula) until just combined and no streaks of dry flour remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough cake.
Bake the Cake: Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared 8×8-inch baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool Completely: Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before attempting to frost it. This is crucial; frosting a warm cake will cause the frosting to melt.

Part 2: Making the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat Cream Cheese and Butter: In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), beat together the softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter on medium speed until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, with no lumps, about 2-3 minutes.
Add Remaining Ingredients: Gradually add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon to the cream cheese mixture. Start on low speed until the powdered sugar is incorporated, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until the frosting is light, fluffy, and smooth, about 3-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically.

Part 3: Frost & Serve

Frost the Cake: Once the applesauce cake is completely cooled, spread the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over the top using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Slice and Serve: Slice the frosted cake into squares and serve this moist, perfectly spiced applesauce cake.

Tips for Success:

Room Temperature Ingredients (Cake & Frosting): For both the cake batter and the frosting, ensure your butter, eggs, and cream cheese are at room temperature. This allows them to cream together properly, resulting in a smooth batter and a lump-free, airy frosting.
Unsweetened Applesauce: Using unsweetened applesauce gives you better control over the cake’s sweetness. If you only have sweetened, you might consider slightly reducing the granulated sugar in the cake recipe.
Don’t Overmix Cake Batter: Mix the dry and wet ingredients only until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make the cake tough.
Cool Cake Completely: This is the most important tip for frosting! A warm cake will melt your beautiful cream cheese frosting into a liquid mess.
Sift Powdered Sugar (Frosting): If your powdered sugar is clumpy, sifting it before adding to the frosting mixture will ensure a super smooth, lump-free frosting.
Adjust Frosting Consistency: If your frosting seems too thick, add a tiny splash of milk or cream (1 teaspoon at a time) until it reaches your desired spreading consistency. If it’s too thin, you can add a bit more sifted powdered sugar.
Spice Adjustments: Feel free to adjust the amounts of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to your preference. Some might like a little more cinnamon, others more clove.

Serving Suggestions:

This Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is wonderful on its own, but also pairs beautifully with:

A Hot Beverage: A cup of coffee, tea, or hot cider.
A Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream: If you’re feeling extra indulgent, a scoop alongside a slice adds a lovely temperature contrast.
Chopped Nuts: A sprinkle of toasted walnuts or pecans on top of the frosting for added crunch and flavor.

Storage:

Due to the cream cheese frosting, this cake should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
For best flavor and texture, allow the cake to come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving.
The unfrosted cake can be wrapped tightly and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw before frosting.