This semi-homemade applesauce cake is made by doctoring a plain white or yellow cake mix.
What do you do when you want to make a cake, but you don’t have a lot of time? make a bundt cake. They are elegant and you can get away from putting a simple glaze on top and calling it good.
What do you do when you want to make a cake, but you are out of flour…but just happen to have a box of cake mix in the pantry? Make a doctored cake, so it tastes homemade. This applesauce bundt cake recipe is the result of no flour and little time!
I like to pretend this applesauce cake is healthy. It is lower in fat because I replace the oil with applesauce, but it still has all the sugar of a regular cake. However, it is delicious enough that it can be eaten either with a thin glaze or without any icing which does reduce the sugar consumption.
What kind of cake mix is used in applesauce cake?
You can use a yellow cake mix, a white cake mix, or a vanilla cake mix. A spice cake mix can also be used, but if you do reduce the apple pie spice to 1 teaspoon.
I have tried this recipe with multiple different cake mixes from 15.25 ounces to 21 ounces. If you use a package of cake mix that has 18 ounces or more, increase the applesauce to 2 cups.
What kind of applesauce is used in applesauce cake?
I prefer to use unsweetened applesauce and that is what is called for in my recipe, but if you don’t have any on hand you can alter the recipe to use the type of applesauce in your pantry.
If you use unsweetened cinnamon applesauce, reduce the apple pie spice to 1 1/2 teaspoon.
You can use sweetened applesauce if that is all you have on hand, but you should add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to offset the added sugar.
If you use sweetened cinnamon applesauce, reduce the apple pie spice to 1 1/2 teaspoon and add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Easy Applesauce Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 package yellow or white cake mix (You can use Pamela’s Classic Vanilla Cake mix to make this gluten-free.)
- 1 tablespoon apple pie spice mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 3/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cake pan.
- In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
- Pour the batter into a greased Bundt cake pan or 13 x 9 pan.
- Bake for 40 – 45 minutes for a bundt cake, 30 – 35 minutes for a 13 x 9 pan, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the cake and allow it to continue cooling.
Once the cake is cool, you can leave the cake plain, sprinkle it with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, or you can drizzle the white chip cinnamon glaze recipe below.
White Chip Cinnamon Glaze Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 Tablespoons evaporated milk
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
- In a small saucepan, heat evaporated milk until it reaches a boil.
- Remove from heat.
- Add chips; stir until smooth.
- Stir in 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Drizzle over cake.
Printable Recipe for Easy Applesauce Cake
- 1 package 18 - 21-ounce yellow cake mix
- 1 tablespoon apple pie spice mix
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
- White Chip Cinnamon Glaze Ingredients:
- 3 Tablespoons evaporated milk
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cake pan.
- In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
- Pour the batter into a greased Bundt cake pan or 13 x 9 pan.
- Bake for 40 - 45 minutes for a bundt cake, 30 - 35 minutes for a 13 x 9 pan, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the cake and allow it to continue cooling.
- White Chip Cinnamon Glaze Directions:
- In a small saucepan, heat evaporated milk until it reaches a boil.
- Remove from heat.
- Add chips; stir until smooth.
- Stir in ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
- Drizzle over cake.
Iris says
I love how simple this looks to make!
SnoWhite says
delicious! I just made this with sweet potatoes (in place of applesauce) for a pumpkin-like cake!
Porch Days says
This cake looks delicious. For supper we had your roasted sweet & white potatoes. I added some lemon pepper. It was great! Thanks so much. And thanks for visiting Porch Days regularly!
Nancy
Rae says
That looks lovely, but I don't know what the cake mix is – how much is in the pack then I could work it out as a recipe.
Thanks for the idea, the split pea soup looks delicious too 🙂
Mrs Green @myzerowaste.com
C-re says
That looks yummy. I'll have to try it. I've got a ton of freezer applesauce.
Alea says
Rae- A standard American cake mix is 18.5 oz., which is what this recipe calls for. Pamela's, which I used because it is gluten free, is 21 oz. I did not have to alter the ingredients for the heavier cake mix.
Mary says
This looks terrific and sounds so simple! I'll have to give it a try.
I have an overstock of apple sauce in my pantry and this would be a great way to use it. Have a wonderful day, Alea. Blessings…Mary
Lisa@BlessedwithGrace says
That cake looks great. I imagine it is very moist. Thanks for linking your post to TMTT.
Lisa says
Sounds easy, delicious, and a perfect comfort cake. Thanks for sharing. We'll definitely be trying this one.
Lisa
Rae says
21oz – that's great; thanks Alea; I can work that out 🙂
Jerri says
This sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Hope you'll stop by and link up at my Sweet Thursday Valentine round-up.
Chaos Cottage says
I just copied this to my to try recipes. Thanks.
Terrie says
My cake mix is 15.25 should I reduce the apple sauce by a 1/2 cup
Alea Milham says
You can reduce the applesauce if you wish.
Jo McLean says
I just read this great recipe; are we just using the cake mix and eggs, no oil or water to make the cake? Of course, the applesauce for moisture. Just wanted to check.
Alea Milham says
Yes, Ignore the ingredient list and directions on the back of the cake mix box and use these instead.
Rae Smylie says
Made this cake today and shared with two sets of neighbors. We all loved it!
Very good and pretty doggone easy.
Bob says
So easy, so good. Caramel maple glaze for mine, definitely a keeper! Thanks, I’ll be making it again for sure!