Moist Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Sugar Topping

This is one of those super simple cakes that’s perfect for using up leftover apples. You know how it is, you buy one of those big bags of apples and you slowly eat them and end up with a small pile of old apples, or they were perfectly good but you forgot about them until they got wrinkly. Well, this recipe is for you! ;D

Basically, by turning the apples into a puree, you end up with a super creamy and moist cake. Add cinnamon and brown sugar topping and you get a really rustic flavor that holds up very well for a whole week. You can also freeze slices and eat them straight from the freezer (they don’t get very hard) or let them thaw on the counter. ;D

I’m posting this a few days before São Martinho (Saint Martin’s) season in Portugal, and I think this is a lovely cake for the occasion. São Martinho is all about roasted chestnuts, cozy autumn flavors and good company, and a cake that smells like apple and cinnamon fits just right in. Let’s get to the recipe!

Moist Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Servings: 12
Time: 1hr 20mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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Hehehe, for a cozy São Martinho tea, serve a slice of this delicious cake with a warm cup of tea, a glass of milk, or a huge pile of roasted chestnuts. 😉

Ingredients

Eggs – 3 (Room Temperature)
Sugar – 150g
Apples – 500g (peeled and puréed)
Oil – 100ml
Oats – 80g
Flour – 250g
Baking Powder – 1 teaspoon
Salt – a pinch
Cinnamon – for sprinkling
Brown Sugar – for sprinkling

Directions

Start by peeling and coring enough apples to reach a total weight of 500g.
Blend them using an immersion blender until you have a smooth purée.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs and sugar, whisking them well until the mixture becomes creamy.
Add the oil and mix thoroughly again.

Finally, add the oats, flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix, without over-whisking, until a batter forms, then fold in the apple purée.

Preheat your oven to 180ºC (356ºF) and line a Bundt-style (ring) cake pan with parchment paper (you can use a little oil or butter to help the paper stick to the pan).

Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle generously with cinnamon and brown sugar.
Bake for about 50 minutes (very moist cakes take longer to bake). Keep an eye on the top, if it begins to caramelize too quickly, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent it from over-browning.

As always, test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake, if it comes out dry, the cake is ready. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before unmolding. Enjoy!

Notes & Tips: You can lightly cook the apples over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes before blending. They become much easier to puree and the cake will bake faster.

If you prepare the puree well in advance, add a few drops of lemon juice so the apple puree doesn’t darken or oxidize. Even so, since this is a cake, you won’t notice anything if the puree is a little oxidized.

I used Fuji apples, a sweet apple, but you can easily use green apples for a more interesting aroma ;D Of course a mix of apples works beautifully, you can also try half sweet (Fuji, Gala) and half tart (Granny Smith) for a deeper, more balanced flavor.

Take the eggs out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start. Room temperature eggs whip up creamier and mix more evenly into the batter.

Once the flour goes in, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the cake dense instead of soft.

For a crunchier top, sprinkle a little extra brown sugar over the cake right before it goes in the oven. Or maybe a simple crumble (Rub 100 g flour, 50 g sugar, and 50 g of cold butter together until crumbly), sprinkle that on top.

Let the cake cool at least 15 minutes before unmolding. It’s very moist, and it holds together much better once it has had some time to settle.

This recipe for Moist Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Sugar Topping was originally created on BakeAfter. Esta receita de Bolo Rústico de Puré de Maçã com Canela foi publicada em português no Iguaria.