Eggless Applesauce Cake

As soon as I saw a Low-Fat Banana Bread on Jeno’s blog (Weeknite Meals) I thought it looked and sounded very similar to the Applesauce Cake I make. I promised Jeno I would post my recipe and I hope she will forgive me for being so terribly late!

I have found this recipe in Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie Marritt Farmer, an excellent book I have bought at second hand book sales, unconscious of the treasures I would find there. It might not be the most appealing source of recipes (especially my old edition), but everything I have tested proved fully successful. (If you don’t cook often from books, believe me, foolproof cookery books are rare jewels…). Another recipe from this book I posted some time ago are the fabulous and easyย Deep-Fried Scallops.

Apart from being sticky, moist and flavoursome, this cake has several big advantages. It is very simple and quick to prepare. It doesn’t requite any eggs or fresh fruit, so it can be made with your pantry’s permanent stock all year round. You will also be surprised to see it keeps fresh for ages, especially if refrigerated. Since it’s best very soft and moist, I prefer it served straight away from the fridge, anyway.

Preparation: 1 hour

Ingredients:

120 g ย butter (about 1/2 cup); I often reduce this amount to 50 g butter

250 ml (1 cup) unsweetened applesauce + 200 g (1 cup) sugar, or sweetened applesauce + 100 g sugar (1/2 cup)

220 g (2 cups) flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

(cinnamon or vanilla or nothing if you applesauce is already seasoned)

a big handful chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180ยฐC (350ยฐF).

Mix the sugar with butter, add the applesauce and the remaining ingredients. Stir well.

Bake in a buttered and floured pan (or lined with baking paper because the cake is very sticky) for 40 minutes – 1 hour.

It can be served after it has cooled down, but I like to wrap it tightly in cling film and put into the fridge for several hours.

Then it becomes really moist and irresistible.

40 Replies to “Eggless Applesauce Cake”

  1. Just 4-5 ingredients. Amazing. I think I will try this soon. Sounds a bit like a simple coconut cake a made without eggs, very moist. “foolproof cookery books are rare jewels” – I didn’t realise this. BTW 50g butter is about quarter cup

    1. Thank you, Mr. Three-Cookies! I have so many cookery books I haven’t even counted them and most are completely useless, especially when it comes to baking. Thank you for the correction! Actually the recipe says 1/2 cup… I get lost with cups, grams etc…

  2. Thank you so much Sissi for the mention! It truly made my day! Your recipe looks super simple, and the cake looks SOOO Yummy! I am going to pin it on my Pinterest and will try very soon! Have a great weekend.

    1. Thank you so much, Jeno! You might not believe me, but I have been thinking about posting it almost every day. I hope one day you will have some applesauce and no eggs and this recipe might be useful ๐Ÿ™‚ Have a great weekend too!

    1. Thanks, Caroline! I wouldn’t say it’s low fat (there is some butter…) but it certainly is moist and delicious!

    1. Thank you! Actually I thought it didn’t look very appealing… Some cakes are a bit less beautiful than others (and some are people are also worse photographers ๐Ÿ˜‰ )

  3. have heard that applesauce makes a good egg replacement as it keeps cakes moist…haven’t tried making anything with applesauce yet but i will have to add this to the list! oh gosh!!! i’ve got too many things to try! hahah

    1. I think applesauce makes this cake much softer than an egg or even several would do. I always have appleasauce in my pantry and eggs… well almost always, so it’s perfect when I forget to buy them.

    1. Thank you, Shuhan. I have got nothing against eggs either, but sometimes I forget to buy them and this cake is perfect at such a moment.

    1. Thank you, Martyna. Perfect for a vegan or for someone who sometimes forgets to buy eggs ๐Ÿ˜‰

  4. Mmm… this applesauce cake looks so moist and tasty. Every once in a while I run out of eggs and love the idea of being able to pull something together without having to run out of the house. Walnuts are my favourite in banana bread (in fact, I almost feel like it’s not banana bread without them), so this is right up my alley! Is the ‘Fannie Farmer’ cookbook by Cunningham an updated version of the ones formerly edited by Fannie Farmer herself? If you have that original version – circa 1918 – I’m totally jealous ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Thank you so much, Kelly. This is exactly the cake I make when I run out of eggs (and somehow this is the moment when I crave a nice moist cake so this recipe was a revelation). I love walnuts with banana bread too, with chocolate they are my favourite nuts and they are great with this cake too.
      My book is the 8th edition of Fannie Merritt Farmer’s book from 1946, revised by Wilma Lord Perkins, and is very used. I love imagining how many times someone used it for cooking or how many generations used it! This is why I love old cookery books and sometimes prefer the very used ones.

  5. Wow, what a simple recipe – and it looks so wonderful; I’d never have guessed it would have had no eggs inside. Love that it uses applesauce – I suppose you could also add in some chunks of apple too? I do love me some baked apple pieces in the middle of a good cake ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Thank you, Charles! I think it’s a very versatile recipe (I sometimes change the spices for example) and I am sure it would taste great with small bits of fresh apple. Thank you for the idea!

  6. Hi Sissi, just dropping in to let you know that we made your delightful applesauce cake this evening. More precisely, my 13 year-old made it (with a little back-up from mom) and we ALL loved it! I just came from the dessert table where it got rave reviews… We found it had just the right amount of sweetness – not overly-sweet – and very moist. I’m looking forward to another piece with my matcha tomorrow afternoon ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks for this lovely recipe.

    1. Kelly, you have just made my Monday (THE day I hate) and at least the whole week ahead! I am thrilled to learn you and your family liked it! A 13-year old making a recipe I posted on my blog is a completely new, joyful experience too! Thank you for this exciting message! It will make me smile all day.

  7. Hm, didn’t know applesauce is a good replacement for eggs for the moist texture. Sounds wonderful. I haven’t had baked goods for a while (how are you doing?). As I read this… my stomach makes noise Sissi! I don’t know how long I can starve myself…haha. So far I don’t see a drastic change… wait, maybe we should be talking about this privately. Haha. Your cake looks delicious!

    1. Thnk you, Nami. It’s a good replacement for most of the fat (oil or butter) and eggs. It keeps the cake together. I am very curious about your starving ๐Ÿ˜‰

  8. wow! how did i miss this earlier….i love the sound of this…very little butter and applesauce….perfect with a cuppa….such few ingredients….i will be making this soon

    1. Dear Shilpa, thank you so much! I am so happy you come to visit me! (How are your new blog preparations going?) You should remember it when you forget to buy eggs ๐Ÿ˜‰

    1. Hi Taylor! Thank you for visiting my blog and for this kind comment. I’m very happy you have tried my recipe and hope you will enjoy the cake!

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