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Applesauce Honey Cake

Applesauce honey cake with a tender, moist crumb is baked until golden and finished with a glossy honey glaze. This American-style cake uses applesauce and sour cream for a soft texture without needing frosting.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ginger
  • 0.25 tsp allspice
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 lb unsalted butter, softened
  • 0.75 cup honey
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 0.33 cup sour cream
Honey glaze
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp melted butter
  • 1 tbsp powdered sugar

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and mix batter
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 pan; this prevents sticking and helps the cake brown evenly.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt until evenly combined, creating a uniform dry mix with visible spice specks.
  3. Beat unsalted butter, honey, and brown sugar until smooth, then add eggs and vanilla extract and mix until glossy and combined.
  4. Stir in unsweetened applesauce and sour cream until the batter looks thick and cohesive.
  5. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until no dry streaks remain, keeping the batter from overmixing.
Bake and glaze
  1. Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean, with a golden-brown top and set edges.
  2. Whisk honey glaze ingredients together, brush over the warm cake until lightly coated, and let the glaze glisten on top before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: keep mixing just long enough to combine after adding the flour to maintain a tender crumb. Store the cake covered in the fridge for up to 4 days; freeze slices in an airtight container for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use low-fat sour cream and swap half the butter for neutral oil, keeping the same baking soda amount for lift.