This Spiced Apple Loaf Cake makes the most delicious Autumn and Winter dessert. The quick bread is made with applesauce and packed with chunks of Apples and Spices. Perfect to enjoy with your afternoon tea!
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Why we love this recipe
This apple bread with applesauce and apples chunks is probably one of my favourite winter dessert ever. Just like my French Apple Cake, this dessert is super easy and quick to make. It brings you these warm, comforting sweet flavours you often crave when the temperatures drop!
I love to use applesauce in my apple desserts, either as a filling or inside the cake batter like my Puff Pastry Apple Tartlets or French Apple Tart. It can even be used to replace eggs like in this Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal!
The use of applesauce in the batter gives this cake an incredibly moist texture that is perfectly balanced by the chunky pieces of fresh apple. If you love spices and apples together, you will love this recipe!
Ingredients
To make this Spiced Apple Cake, you will need (scroll down to recipe card for all quantities):
- Sugar: Brown Sugar, either light or dark
- Eggs: medium size, at room temperature
- Canola Oil: or your preferred neutral-flavoured cooking oil. You can use melted butter if preferred but using oil will keep the cake fresh and moist for longer.
- Applesauce : I used a Smooth homemade Applesauce, but you could also use a Chunky Applesauce if preferred - though it will change the texture of the cake. I also highly recommend using a applesauce that is low in sugar or made without added sugar to control the sweetness of the cake.
- Dry Ingredients: a mix of Plain / All-Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda & Salt.
- Spices: I used a mix of Cinnamon, Ginger and Allspice. You could also add a little bit of Ginger or Nutmeg too!
- Fresh Apples: peeled and cut into small chunks. See FAQs section below for best apple variety.
Optional: flaked almonds as a topping to add an extra crunch.
How to make Apple Bread Loaf
This cake is very simple and quick to make. No need for fancy utensils or a mixer here - it is all made by hand with a whisk and a couple of mixing bowls!
- First, pre-heat your oven on 180'C/350'F and prepare your Loaf Pan (I used a 25 cm/10inch Loaf Pan) by greasing and flouring it (*).
- Before starting to make the cake batter, prepare the Apple Chunks: peal, core then slice the apple into small cubes and set aside.
- For the cake batter: whisk the Eggs and Brown Sugar in a large mixing bowl until bubbly - about 2 minutes.
- Add the Canola Oil and Applesauce and whisk until combined.
(*) I used an Oil Spray to grease the whole pan, then dusted it with flour. When the pan is fully covered in flour, flip it and tap it against your kitchen bench to remove any flour excess.
The second step is adding all of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients:
- Mix together all of the dry ingredients in a separate bowl (*): Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt and Spices
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until fully combined and no lumps remain - but try not to overwork the batter to get a fluffy cake texture.
- Lastly, fold in the chunks of Apples until evenly distributed in the batter. You can also save a few chunks to add over the batter in the loaf pan to get some caramelised apple chunks sticking out.
- Optional: sprinkle some Flaked Almonds over the cake before baking it.
- Pour the batter into the Loaf Pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer poked into the cake comes out clean.
Tip: to get an even crack in the centre of the apple loaf cake, take it out of the oven after 10 minutes and slash it with a sharp knife.
(*) I like to mix all of the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl to insure they will be evenly mixed with the wet ingredients. This is the best way to insure the cake bakes evenly, but is optional if you want to skip this step.
Recipe FAQs
The type of fruit you use to make this cake will have an impact on its taste. You can go for a sweeter apple if you have a sweet tooth, or alternatively choose a more crisp and tart apple variety.
I personally used some Pink Lady Apples for this cake. They have a delicious crunchy texture that is both sweet and crisp.
Here are a few varieties of apples that bake very well in cakes:
- Sweet: Golden Delicious or Jazz
- Crisp: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or Braeburn
- Sweet and Tart: Fuji, Pink Lady or Jonagold
You can read more about picking the right apples for baking in this article.
This Apple Spice Loaf Cake can be kept at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. You can keep it in the loaf pan covered with plastic wrap or aluminium foil (once completely cool) or transfer it into an air-tight container.
Alternatively, this apple tea cake can be kept in the fridge for an extra day or two - but it will become drier. If you keep it in the fridge, I highly recommend warming up individual slices before eating them.
Individual slice can be toasted (preferably on a lower heat / short time) to lightly caramelise the apples and warm up the cake.
Yes, this applesauce Loaf can be frozen for up to 3 months. You can freeze it whole but I personally prefer to freeze individual slices as they are easier to thaw.
Before freezing, make sure to let the apple loaf cake cool down completely. Wrap the cake or individual slices with wrap and/or foil, or keep in an freezer friendly container / freezing bag.
If freezing individual slices together, separate each slice with some baking paper.
More Apple Recipes
- Apple Upside-Down Cake
- Easy Apple Galette
- Apple Streusel Muffins
- Pear and Apple Crumble
- Apple Almond Cake
Made this recipe?
Let us know if you liked it by leaving a comment below, and tag us on Instagram @a.baking.journey with a photo of your creation!
Recipe
Apple Loaf Cake with Applesauce
Ingredients
- 1 Apple - medium size
- 60 gr (1/3 cup) Brown Sugar
- 2 Eggs - medium, at room temperature
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) Canola Oil - or neutral flavoured vegetable oil
- 250 gr (1 cup) Applesauce - Smooth
- 300 gr (2 cups) Plain / All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
- 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/2 tsp Allspice
- Flaked Almond, to taste - optional
Disclaimer
I highly recommend using the measurements in grams & ml (instead of cups & spoons) for more accuracy and better results.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven on 180'C/350'F. Grease and Flour a Loaf Pan (*).
- Peal, core and slice the Apple into small cubes. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the Brown Sugar and Eggs together until froathy.
- Add the Canola Oil and Applesauce and whisk until combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients (1): Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt and Spices (2)
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until combined and no lumps remain. Do not overwork the batter.
- Fold the cubed Apples into the batter until evenly spread.
- Pour the Batter into the Loaf Pan
- Optional: sprinkle some flaked almonds on the top of the loaf (3)
- Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer poked in the cake comes out clean (4)Optional: to create an even crack in the centre of the loaf, take it out of the oven after 10 minutes and slash it with a sharp knife, then place it back in the oven.
Notes
- This is to insure all of the dry ingredients are properly mixed together and insure an even baking. Depending on the Flour you use, you might have to sift it first as well.
- I used a mix of Cinnamon, Ginger and Allspice but you can absolutely use the spice mix you prefer instead.Â
- I left the centre of the loaf clear of flaked almonds so that the cake would evenly crack in the centre.
- If the cake seems to become brown quickly, it means your oven might be too hot. Simply reduce the temperature slightly.Â
If the top gets very brown but the centre is not baked yet, you can cover the loaf with aluminium foil to finish the baking without burning the cake.
Rachi says
This looks amazing, with some warm butter and a cuppa
A Baking Journey says
Perfect with a cuppa for sure 🙂
Gavin says
Oh Sylvie, I am dreaming of this lightly grilled w/ some honey butter - looks delish!!
A Baking Journey says
Yuuum honey butter spread over a slice of this cake sounds incredible!
Robyn says
This looks the perfect bake to accompany a cup of coffee in the morning! I bet it smells incredible when baking.
A Baking Journey says
Thanks Robyn - apple and spices always bring the best smells to the house 🙂
Jaimie says
YUM! My son is an apple fiend so we buy them by the tonne... on the odd occasion we have some left over, we never know what to do with them to change things up a bit... this looks just perfect. And warm and spicy for winter too. I can only imagine how amazing this must smell!
A Baking Journey says
Oh this cake would be so perfect for him then, I'm sure he would love it!
Sarah says
Spiced apple desserts are the best! Love the addition of apple sauce for a lovely moist cake, what a great idea.
A Baking Journey says
Thanks Sarah - the applesauce is really what makes the cake so light and moist!
Alex says
I just know this would smell incredible when baking! Love apple in baked goods - great to use a combination of both apple sauce and fresh apple. (I love pink lady apples, too!)
A Baking Journey says
Thanks Alex, the kitchen always smells the best when you are baking with apples and spices!