This applesauce cake is soft and moist and everyone in my family wanted seconds. I find that using the two gluten-free flour mixes together (Bette Hagman’s basic mix and Carol Fenster’s sorghum mix) gives baked goods a nice texture.
This recipe is adapted from Kim’s recipe at Gluten-free is Life.
Applesauce Cake
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups gluten free flour mix
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups applesauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins (optional)
- 3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl combine the flour and next five ingredients.
- In your mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar.
- Add the eggs and mix.
- Add the applesauce, water and vanilla and mix.
- Add the flour mix and beat just until incorporated.
- With a large spoon or spatula fold in the raisins and nuts.
- Pour into the baking pan and bake for 45-50 minutes.
Notes
I made a simple glaze using powdered sugar, milk and maple syrup.
Courses Dessert
Linda, you are my go-to woman for recipes now 🙂 I made some homemade applesauce for muffins last week and had about 1.5 cups leftover. I came over here to see if you had a cake recipe 🙂 I made this for a party last Saturday, with the Maple Nut Frosting (except no nuts), and everyone loved it. I got several comments that they had no idea it was GF 🙂 The frosting was super-sweet, but super-good. I love how your recipes don't rely heavily on dairy or soy & I find them so easy to adapt to our needs. Thank you!
Okay looking at cakes when I'm trying to eat really healthy and fit into my dress this weekend…not a smart idea!
Last night I made these in a jelly roll pan and used currants instead of raisins and put the maple glaze on them. This morning, they taste – and feel – much like an unrolled cinnamon roll. YUM! Thanks!
Anonymous ~ Thanks for letting me know. I haven't made this cake in a while, but now I'm anxious to try it your way.
Fabulous flavor! I looked up an apple pie spice recipe that used cardamom.
I halved the recipe and used the combo of the 2 mixes as you recommended, however I didn’t get that nice fluffy crumb 🙁 It was moist and light but no crumb. Any ideas as to why? My son is corn-allergic so I use tapioca and potato in all my mixes, but that might cause a larger proportion of tapioca. Could that be the culprit? I also used a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mixed it well but not too long.
Hmmm. I’m not sure, and I haven’t made this in a while. Are you sure your baking powder & soda are good (not too old)? Too much tapioca might be the problem. I would try cutting back on the starch and adding more rice flour.
Made it twice in the last two weeks!
My whole family loves it!
Oh good! Thanks for telling me.
What a simple delicious recipe and great way to use applesauce. Cake was really moist also
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know.
A gf baker from the uk. Never used applesauce in baking before,which sounds intresting. 1.5 cups however seems an awful lot?,so I want to check is your apple sauce the same as ours?. As in the condiment served with a roast dinner?,usually alongside pork?. I would hate to buy a couple of jars when it is not the equivilent to the american apple sauce?. Many thanks in advance…
Our applesauce is cooked and pureed apples. There is often sweetener added. In this recipe is adds flavor and moisture. Applesauce is often used as an oil substituted in baked foods.
I can’t wait to try this recipe, it looks delicious.
It looks great! When you say you used 1 1/2 cups of rice mix and 1 cup of sorghum mix, do you mean flour?
Thank you!
No, I meant flour mixes which are explained on the page I linked to. Any flour mix should work well. http://glutenfreehomemaker.com/gluten-free-flour-mixes/
I made the cake today, made a small cake and the rest I made into cupcakes and I’m impressed how quick and easy it is to make, and very good, I had some brown sugar frosting in my freezer so I some of it on one of the cupcakes and it was so good!!
I also was diagnosed with celiac disease 10 months ago and it is definitely a challenge and a huge lifestyle change, but I’m doing better, thank heavens for people like you who share their talents for baking making it so much easier, and I thank-you very much, I am looking forward to trying some of your other recipes, thank-you so much. Have a wonderful day.
Gwen, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. Helping people like you is why I love blogging! You’re welcome, and thanks for your comment. It keeps me going. 🙂
I am wondering if I’m doing something wrong. I made the cake yesterday and it was good, but when I had some today, it was like eating sawdust. Why does gluten free baking dry up so fast?
I’m surprised to hear it was so dry. I might expect that from a bread recipe but not this cake. Be sure the leftovers are sealed up well maybe try adding more oil.
Made this is today and was a big hit by both the GF and NON GF folks. Just wish they has the glaze recipe posted. Delish 😛
Glaze is super easy to make. Start with 3/4 or 1 cup powdered sugar and add milk or a substitute 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
Forgot to mention that you can also add a little vanilla extract to the glaze.
Just made this today, turned out awesome 🙂 Doesn’t even taste Gluten Free. Used the all purpose flour made from Namaste for this recipe.
This is going to be my birthday cake. I am new to the gluten free diet. Will let you know how it goes
I just made this using the new Bobs Red Mill 1 to 1 flour, since it was all I had on hand. I also made into cupcakes, so I could freeze and pull out when I need a snack. Great recipe!! Love it. Only thing, besides flour mix, that i changed, was I used homemade applesauce, which was a little runny, so no water. And I used 1/2 brown sugar instead of regular. 🙂 LOVED IT!!
My daughter and I made this today using Bob’s Red Mill’s Pancake Mix. We lessened the baking soda and baking powder because Bob’s contains that. We also did not add the xanthan gum because the mix contains it. I also did not have pumpkin pie spice but did have cinnamon and sugar already mixed together so we used that (not sure how much) plus about 3/4 tsp cinnamon. The cake was so moist and delicious. No one would know it was gluten free. Amazing!!!
do you know a carb count on this recipe?
If my baking mix has xanthum gum already in it do I still put in the 1 tsp xanthum gum? Thanks.
No, you probably don’t need to add additional xanthan gum.
My 5 year old and I made this applesauce cake today. It was so delicious,light,and just the perfect sweetness! Thank you so much for this share?
* substituted xanthan gum for ground flaxseed*
Do you have a recipe for the glaze please? Thanks.
I don’t really have a recipe. I start with powdered sugar (at least 1 cup) then stir in a little vanilla extract and enough milk (or milk substitute) to get it to the right consistency. For maple flavor you can add about 1 tablespoon of syrup and stir that in before adding any milk.
Yum. Yum. And another YUM. Made this today because I had some homemade applesauce I wanted to use up. I baked it in a tube pan instead of a 9 X 13. Worked PERFECTLY! Love how it’s a lightly-sweet, very fluffy cake. Even my non-cinnamony spice loving son ate two pieces. Huge hit here. Next time I’ll be making it to take to a party or something. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hi, I just wanted to let you know that I made this cake today and it was absolutely amazing!
I threw in raspberries and blueberries instead of nuts, and used a bundt pan.
My gluten-free housemate is super glad I came across your recipe ?
Thanks for sharing your changes. It sounds great with the berries, and I like the idea of using a bundt pan!
I made this cake Friday, it was easy and really good. Even the non glutenfree people liked it.