Healthy Applesauce Spice Cake Recipe

Now that the weather is cooling down, you may be craving a warmer dessert. In the summer, we tend to opt for sweet treats like ice cream, milkshakes, smoothies, or anything that might cool us down in the hot weather. In the fall and winter months, however, we steer clear of frozen treats and look for something warmer, spicier ... something like a healthy applesauce spice cake!

Recipe developer Hayley MacLean has crafted the perfect fall dessert — something that's not too sweet, has plenty of decadence, and can technically pass as a healthy option! "My favorite thing about this recipe is how decadent it is without being heavy or overly sweet," MacLean shares. "It is a great light dessert that encompasses all the wonderful flavors of fall, and is the perfect note to end a cozy meal." Now that we're officially embracing the cooler weather, it only makes sense that we enjoy some wonderful fall recipes as well, so let's dive into this healthy dessert recipe!

Like many types of cake, this healthy applesauce spice cake calls for some key baking ingredients. For starters, make sure that you have oat flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Additionally, you'll need an egg at room temperature, unsweetened applesauce, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract. As for spices, you'll want some cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves.

For the icing, you'll need some reduced-fat cream cheese at room temperature, vanilla extract, salt, and powdered sugar. Finally, to add some crunch to the cake, you'll want some chopped pecans — and be sure to set some aside for garnish, too! MacLean notes that there are plenty of opportunities for ingredient swaps, "The pecans can be switched out easily for walnuts or even pistachios would be delicious," she explains. "Cranberries or chocolate chips can also be mixed in to add new textures and flavors." Also, she notes that "a flax egg and plant-based cream cheese can be used as well," to make the cake vegan!

Now that you have the ingredients sorted, you can begin making this healthy applesauce spice cake. First, preheat your oven to 350 F and line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Set out a large mixing bowl and toss in the applesauce, coconut oil, egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and brown sugar. Mix the ingredients until they're smooth. Then, grab another mixing bowl and whisk together the oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, ¼ teaspoon of salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves. 

After you've finished mixing the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls, you can finally combine them. To do so, gradually pour the dry mixture into the wet, mixing until just combined. Now, pour in the chopped pecans and give the batter one last stir, ensuring that all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan, then bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. After the cake is done baking, transfer it to a wire rack and allow it to cool down.

As the cake cools down, you can turn your attention to the frosting. Add the cream cheese, vanilla extract, and salt into a bowl, then beat the ingredients until they're smooth. Now, gradually add the powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency — keep in mind that you might not use all of the powdered sugar! Also, if your frosting is a little too thick, simply add in a bit of water to thin it out. 

After your cake has cooled down, you can go ahead and frost it. To do so, simply slather on a layer of cream cheese frosting right on top — feel free to use as little or as much as you'd like. Then, sprinkle on some extra chopped pecans, and you're ready to enjoy! "I think you could definitely have a slice of this cake occasionally for breakfast," MacLean says, noting that you could enjoy the cake without the frosting and instead add some honey for a "healthier, not-so-sweet option, that fits right in to a well-rounded morning meal." However you enjoy this healthy applesauce spice cake, it's sure to give you that wonderful, warm feeling that only comes from a truly delicious dessert.