Fresh Chunky Applesauce Cake
A moist, rustic vegan cake made with freshly cooked chunky applesauce, whole wheat pastry flour, maple syrup, walnuts, and cinnamon. Makes 10 slices.
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Servings: slices
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- 9" cake pan or a 9 x 13-inch baking pan
Ingredients
For the chunky applesauce
- 5 cups apples any variety (about 5 medium), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup water plus more as needed
For the cake
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon divided
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup safflower oil or other neutral oil
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
- 2 to 4 tablespoons non-dairy milk plain or vanilla, as needed
Instructions
Make the chunky applesauce
- Put the sliced apples in a medium saucepan with the water, which should be just enough to keep the bottom of the pan moist. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until about half of the apples have broken down into sauce and the rest are tender but still in pieces, 10 to 20 minutes depending on the variety. Add a splash more water if the pan gets dry before the apples soften. Remove from the heat. (The applesauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.)
Make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly oil a deep 9-inch round cake pan or a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and mix thoroughly.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the maple syrup, vanilla, and oil. Stir until the flour mixture is moistened. It will barely hold together at this point.
- Add the chunky applesauce, walnuts, and the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and stir briefly, just until evenly distributed.
- Stir in the nondairy milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until no dry flour remains. The batter should stay very stiff and lumpy.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and pat it down lightly with the back of a spatula.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (start checking a 9 x 13-inch pan at 25 minutes), until the top is golden and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, apart from any moisture from the apples. Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes, then cut into wedges or squares.
Notes
Make ahead: The chunky applesauce can be cooked up to 3 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator.
Apples: Soft varieties such as McIntosh break down in about 10 minutes; firm ones such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith can take 20 minutes or more. A mix of the two gives both sauce and chunks.
Gluten-free: Replace the whole wheat pastry flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour, such as Bob's Red Mill.
Pan size: A 9 x 13-inch pan makes a thinner cake; start checking it at 25 minutes.
Storage: Keep covered at room temperature for 1 day, refrigerate up to 4 days, or freeze wrapped slices up to 3 months.
Nutrition (Estimate per Serving)
Calories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 156mgPotassium: 211mgFiber: 5gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 50IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 1mg
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