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Applesauce Snack Cake
Warm spices like ginger and cinnamon mingle with a surprising hint of lime zest to brighten the crumb of this incredibly moist cake. The secret to that tender texture is a quick homemade microwave applesauce that packs in fresh apple flavor without hours of simmering. Once the cake cools, you'll pour over a quick boiled brown sugar frosting that sets into a rich, fudgy finish. It's a comforting, old-fashioned dessert that pairs beautifully with a hot cup of coffee.
Ingredients
- 3 large McIntosh apples (about 1½ lb. total), peeled and chopped (5 cups)
- 1¼ cups packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup canola oil
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. grated lime zest (from 1 lime)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. whole milk
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp. hot water (optional)
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with flour-based baking spray. Place the chopped apples in a medium microwave-safe bowl.
- 2Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and microwave on high power for about 4 minutes until the apples soften.
- 3Move the softened apples and any accumulated juices to a food processor or blender. Puree for 20 to 30 seconds until completely smooth, yielding about 2 cups of applesauce, then let it cool for 10 minutes.
- 4Combine the cooled applesauce, brown sugar, canola oil, ginger, cinnamon, lime zest, vanilla extract, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Whisk everything together until well blended.
- 5Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt to the wet ingredients. Whisk gently just until the dry ingredients disappear into the batter, then pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Don't overmix, or the cake will become tough.
- 6Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Move the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool completely for about 1 hour.
- 7Start the frosting by melting the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, bring the mixture to a boil, and cook while stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Stir constantly here so the sugar doesn't burn.
- 8Pour in the whole milk and let the mixture return to a boil. Take the saucepan off the heat, then whisk in the powdered sugar and kosher salt until the frosting is smooth and thick.
- 9Whisk in up to 2 tablespoons of hot water if the frosting feels too stiff. Spread the warm frosting evenly over the cooled cake and top with chopped toasted pecans.
Notes
- Storage: Keep the frosted cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Make ahead: You can make the microwave applesauce up to 3 days in advance and store it in the fridge until you're ready to bake.
- Tip: Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes until fragrant before chopping them for the garnish.
- Swap: If you don't have McIntosh apples, Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work well as substitutes.