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–+ servings
A slice of gluten-free apple spice cake with caramel sauce

Apple Spice Cake

4.97 from 32 votes
Emily Dixon, One Lovely Life
This delicious apple spice cake recipe has the perfect blend of warm spices and a gorgeous texture, thanks to a double-dose of apple goodness.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Print Pin
Servings: 1 (9x13) cake
Calories: 240kcal

Ingredients

For The Wet Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened (113 grams/8 Tablespoons)
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar (350 grams)
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup applesauce (I prefer unsweetened)
  • 2 cups peeled & grated or finely diced apples (I like Honeycrisp or granny smith apples)

For The Dry Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour or gluten-free flour* (270 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

To Serve (Choose 1-2)

Instructions

  • Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13" metal pan with butter or spray or line with parchment paper.
  • Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • Cream Butter & Sugar. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar with a hand mixer or paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes, until light, fluffy, and well combined.
  • Finish Wet Ingredients. Mix in eggs, one at a time till well incorporated, then stir in applesauce.
  • Add Dry Ingredients, Then The Apples. Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir or mix just until the dry ingredients are mixed in. Next, add the grated apples and stir until evenly distributed.
  • Bake. Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven 35-40 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. (This cake will bake to a deep brown, but if your cake seems to be getting too dark, feel free to loosely tent the pan with foil for the last few minutes of baking. Cool cake on a wire rack.
  • Serve & Store. Cut cake into slices and top individual slices with buttermilk syrup, caramel sauce, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. (Or, frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting!) Store leftover cake covered in the fridge 2-3 days for best results, or 1-2 days at room temperature.

Notes

  • Flour. This recipe was developed years before we went gluten-free and works great with regular white flour (all-purpose flour). Now that we're gluten-free, we use King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour. If you use another gluten-free flour blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum, or the cake will not turn out properly. (Do NOT substitute coconut flour or almond flour in this recipe.) 
  • Other Toppings. If you prefer, you can frost this cake with Classic Cream Cheese Frosting! 

Video

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple cake, apple spice cake, spice cake

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice (1/15th Recipe - Cake Only) | Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 2.9g | Fat: 7.1g | Saturated Fat: 4.1g | Cholesterol: 41.1mg | Sodium: 292.7mg | Potassium: 85.4mg | Fiber: 1.4g | Sugar: 26.7g | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 21.6mg

Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.

Find it Online:

https://www.onelovelylife.com/apple-spice-cake/