Do you ever crave a deliciously moist cake that is unique, but has simple ingredients? This Cinnamon Applesauce Cake is the perfect easy cake recipe!
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Easy Homemade Cake Idea
We enjoy cooking with basic ingredients because it makes our life easier. This recipe only calls for one ingredient that we don’t commonly use and that is Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips. But they have a good shelf life, so I like to keep a bag on hand. Cinnamon Applesauce Cake is especially enjoyable in the fall when we seem to crave apple flavors, but it is delicious all year around too!
Several years ago I was looking for an easy homemade cake idea when I came across this recipe on a bag of Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips. I love the recipe, but it’s not printed on bags anymore and it can be tricky to find.
In 2018 we could find Cinnamon chips at about any Wal-mart and some other specialty stores, but since 2019 the chips have been hard to come by so we order them online.
The applesauce keeps this cake very moist and the cinnamon chips add a richness that is very enjoyable! I love that this cake is topped with a simple icing made of powdered sugar mixed with warm water.
I use my 9×13 Pyrex glass dish with a lid all of the time for these easy dessert recipes! Having a lid that fits well is much easier than handling plastic wrap or foil to keep the cake moist!
How to Make Cinnamon Applesauce Cake
- Beat butter and sugar
- Add eggs and vanilla
- Mix in applesauce
- Combine flour, baking soda, and salt
- Gradually add to the butter mixture
- Add cinnamon chips – they can be tough to find, so I have to order them online now
- Pour into prepared 9×13 baking pan and bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean
- Stir together powdered sugar and enough warm water; drizzle over a slightly warm cake and enjoy
Cinnamon Applesauce Cake Recipe Tips
- I mix all of the ingredients very well EXCEPT for the baking chips. If the baking chips are added to the mixer too soon they could be broken up by the beater.
- Let the cake cool a bit before drizzling with icing.
- This cake is just as good warm as it is a day or two later!
- If storing the cake past two days I recommend storing in the refrigerator
Here are a couple of other easy cakes in a 9×13 pan that we enjoy, Gooey Butter Cake, Pumpkin Pie Cake, and Pina Colada Cake. Here’s another fall favorite Farmhouse Apple Flip. We hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do!
Printable Recipe for Cinnamon Applesauce Cake
Cinnamon Applesauce Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup applesauce
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 2/3 cups Hershey's Cinnamon Chips 10 oz. package
Easy Glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 9x13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Beat butter and sugar until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in applesauce.
- Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture until well blended. Add cinnamon chips.
- Spread into prepared 9x13 baking pan. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool.
- Stir together powdered sugar and enough warm water to make icing of your preferred consistency. Drizzle over a slightly warm cake and enjoy!
Nutrition
Shared on: The Weekend Potluck & Meal Plan Monday
Hi,
This cake looks very good, could I sub oil for the butter, or do half of each, I always male and give away,
I was just watching my cost..
Thank you,
Hi Linda – We always use butter because our family milked cows for generations. We also grow soybeans and a lot of vegetable oil is made from soybeans, so the good news is, either way, you support farm families in the United States! I’ve never substituted in this recipe, but I know this cake is VERY moist, so I would be careful about adding too much more liquid. Good luck and please let me know how it turns out for you 🙂
How about using crisco regular or butter flavor instead of butter. My coffee cake calls for crisco and it comes out great!
I’ve never tried that, but the butter flavor Crisco does make many baked goods delicious!
Sweetened or unsweetened applesauce?
I typically use unsweetened since there are other sources of sugar in the recipe, but if sweetened is all I have on hand then I’ll use it.
What is the consistency of the batter spread to be? I made this tonight and the batter was much thicker than I thought it would be so it also made it a little more difficult to determine if the cake was done. The cake started to come away from the sides (usually a sign the cake is done) and the edges started to brown. It tasted very good and will make this again.
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it! The batter has more of a heavy applesauce consistency. I typically determine doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center and when it comes out clean the cake is done. I think it depends on your preference with this cake. Yes, I’ve noticed that over multiple times of making it the outside and center can vary in consistency. It will keep cooking once out of the oven and that has helped it set up more, after the edges pull away from the pan. Thanks for your note 🙂
I am wanting to make this cinnamon applesauce cake but have come to find that the cinnamon bits are very hard to find so what can I do to replace them to make it still cinnamon?
I know this can be tricky. I’ve found them at Walmart, Meijer, Walmart.com or sometimes smaller local specialty stores. I’m not sure how to substitute for them. I hope it works out well for you!
Will the cake still be good if I leave out the Cinnamon Chips?
I think the cinnamon chips really give it a great flavor, but feel free to give it a try.
Could I put the batter in a bundt pan instead? Thank you!
Pamela
I’ve never tested it in a bundt pan, but please let me know if you give it a try!
I was thinking about splitting the cake batter between two 9×5 loaf pans – to give it more of a “bread” look to give as a gift. Wish me luck – sounds delish!
Have you ever made thus in a half sheet pan? Do you think it makes enough batter in this recipe to make in this size pan. Of course the baking time would be less. When made in the 9×13 does it come out thick? Seems to in one of your pictures. Thanks for and guidance.
Hi! This sounds like a great experiment! I have not made it in anything but a 9×13 pan, and yes it is fairly thick. I would be very curious to hear how this comes out if you give it a try!