Easy Applesauce Spice Cake With Maple Buttercream Frosting

Two plates with a piece of applesauce spice cake sprinkled with cinnamon.

4.80 from 10 votes

Easy Applesauce Spice Cake With Maple Buttercream Frosting

This applesauce spice cake with maple buttercream frosting is a long-time family favorite recipe that we are excited to share with you. With a light apple flavor, warm spices, and creamy maple icing, this moist applesauce cake will become a fall staple in your home too!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 311kcal

Author: Olivia & Annie

Ingredients

For the cake:

½ cup butter (room temperature)
1 ⅓ cup sugar
½ cup water
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
2 ½ cups flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon allspice

For the maple buttercream:

½ cup butter (room temperature)
2 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon milk of choice
Pinch of salt
1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan with butter or nonstick spray.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth. Add the apple sauce, water, and eggs and mix on medium speed until well combined (it's okay if the butter appears to be a little clumpy).
Measure the dry ingredients into a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and place it into the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes. The top should be lightly golden brown and a toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
We recommend waiting to make the frosting until the cake has cooled. The frosting is easiest to spread when freshly made! To make the frosting, add the butter to the bowl of the stand mixer and beat on high speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, and salt. Mix on high for 2-3 minutes until fluffy, smooth, and light in color.
Pour the frosting over the top of the cooled cake and spread with a rubber spatula until there is an even and smooth layer of frosting covering the cake.
Cut into 16 pieces. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Make sure you let the cake cool completely before frosting it. If it is still warm, the buttercream frosting will melt and become uneven over the top of the cake.
If the frosting is too thick, simply add a little bit more milk until it is smooth and easy to spread. If it is too runny, add some more powdered sugar until it is thick enough to stay in place when spread on the top of the cake.

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