Gluten Free Applesauce Cake

Sort of a cross between a gluten-free gingerbread cake and a loaf of gluten free applesauce bread, this warmly seasoned gluten free applesauce cake is hard to stop eating. It's a humble enough cake, no frosting or icing to fancy it up (though, if you want to make this into more of an event cake, I've given tips lower down), but there's something about the combo of apples + cozy spices + brown sugar that makes it nearly irresistible.

And have I mentioned the crumb? Fluffy and light, almost airy, with no gluten-free grittiness in sight. You can (and should) dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar before serving, and I also like it with a generous spoonful of blackberry jam in late summer or persimmon jam in fall. This is the kind of cake to turn to when the weather cools, the tea is fresh, and apples are at their zenith.

From Simplicity Comes Perfection

This cake reminds me of something you'd find on the sweets table at a craft fair, holiday market, or bake sale! I love that you can bake it as a single-layer cake in a big pan, or turn it into a pretty, festive layer cake with a special frosting and maybe some candied walnuts scattered over the top. However you make it, though, it comes together quickly and without any fuss. Some more highlights include:

• It's not too sweet. I used unsweetened applesauce and just enough brown sugar in this recipe to let the fruit flavor truly shine through without overwhelming the apples with sweetness.
• It's super cozy and comforting. Three spices are essential here as they balance each other to bring interest and warmth to the cake.
• It makes enough to feed a crowd. Bake this humble beauty in a 9x13-inch pan and you'll have more than enough for the next potluck party.

Ingredients Needed

I love the simplicity of this ingredients list, which will make baking this cake a breeze. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.

• Butter - Unsalted butter softened to room temperature will easily blend into the batter.
• Brown sugar - I used dark brown sugar, and light brown sugar would also be fine. Other changes could include coconut sugar or granulated sugar.
• Applesauce - I used homemade applesauce, which I keep unsweetened or super low on the added sugar. Try to use unsweetened applesauce so it doesn't overwhelm the cake with added sweetness.
• Eggs - Large eggs are best.
• Gluten free flour - I included my homemade gluten free flour blend as always, and any 1:1 blend will work by weight (280 grams).
• Baking soda
• Spices - A mix of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg.
• Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt works.
• Walnuts - I love a bit of crunch from chopped walnuts; pecans would also be nice. If you don't eat nuts, feel free to omit them or swap in raisins instead.
• Powdered sugar - This is an optional finish that I really recommend!

Tips & Substitution Suggestions

• Don't worry if the batter "breaks." After creaming the butter and sugar, when adding the applesauce and eggs, the mixture has a tendency to look curdled. This is perfectly fine; when the batter is fully combined, it will smooth out.
• Try some almond flour. For extra richness and moisture, substitute ½ cup of the gluten-free flour for fine-ground almond flour.
• Go dairy-free. Swap non-dairy butter or a neutral oil for the butter.
• Try a spice blend. Simplify life and use a spice blend such as an apple pie spice blend or pumpkin pie spice in place of the combination of spices.
• Make a pumpkin cake. Switch out the applesauce for pumpkin! Use 1 cup of pure pumpkin puree instead of the applesauce. Or just make my gluten free pumpkin sheet cake recipe.
• Bake it as a layer cake. You can make this into a more elaborate cake by baking the batter in two 8 or 9-inch cake rounds, then filling and frosting them with a cream cheese frosting or a simple vanilla buttercream.

Serving Options

This cake is lovely plain, but if you can, sift powdered sugar over the top or over individual slices when you plate them. Add a drizzle of salted caramel sauce, a scoop of vanilla or no-churn pumpkin ice cream, or a couple of spoonfuls of whipped cream. You could also try plain or Greek yogurt, or a dollop of applesauce.

Proper Storage

• Counter - Leave the cake in the pan and cover it tightly with foil, or transfer slices to an airtight container and store them on the counter for up to 2 days.
• Fridge - Extend the life of this cake by storing it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer - Wrap slices of cake in plastic, then place them in a sealable freezer bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake in the fridge completely before serving.