Moist Vegan Applesauce Cake That Tastes Like Bakery Spice Cake
One bowl, no mixer, and pantry ingredients come together to create this incredibly moist vegan applesauce cake with warm spices. It tastes exactly like a bakery spice cake and stays tender for days.
Equipment
- 8-inch or 9-inch Square Baking Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber Spatula
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups unsweetened applesauce
- 0.5 cup neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed)
- 0.75 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
- 0.5 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 0.5 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to overhang on two sides for easy removal.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, neutral oil, coconut sugar, and apple cider vinegar until smooth and emulsified with no oil slick on top.
- Sift the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and salt directly into the bowl. Whisk until just combined — a few lumps are fine. Do not overmix.
- If adding mix-ins like walnuts, raisins, or chocolate chips, fold them in gently with a rubber spatula using about six folds.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 38-42 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing — this prevents crumbling.
Notes
For best results, use unsweetened applesauce and a neutral oil like avocado or grapeseed. Don't skip the parchment overhang. Let the cake cool completely before slicing to avoid crumbling. This cake keeps well at room temp for 4-5 days or in the freezer for 3 months. For a bakery finish, dust with powdered sugar just before serving.