Go Back

Applesauce Honey Cake

Applesauce honey cake with a tender crumb and glossy honey glaze. It’s made by mixing applesauce and sour cream into a spiced batter, then baking until a toothpick comes out clean.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 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
Wet ingredients
  • 0.5 cup 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 the batter
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 pan (visual cue: the pan should have an even, thin coating).
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt in a bowl (visual cue: the spices are evenly distributed).
  3. Beat unsalted butter, honey, and brown sugar until smooth (visual cue: the mixture looks glossy and well combined).
  4. Add eggs and vanilla extract, then beat again until fully incorporated (visual cue: the batter becomes uniform in color).
  5. Stir in unsweetened applesauce and sour cream (visual cue: the batter loosens slightly and turns creamy).
  6. Fold in the flour mixture just until no dry streaks remain (visual cue: stop mixing as soon as the batter looks smooth).
Bake and glaze
  1. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350F until a toothpick comes out clean (visual cue: the top is golden brown and springs back lightly).
  2. Whisk honey glaze ingredients—honey, melted butter, and powdered sugar—until pourable (visual cue: the glaze looks smooth with no lumps).
  3. Brush the honey glaze over the warm cake, then serve (visual cue: the surface glistens as the glaze soaks in).

Notes

Pro tip: brush the glaze on while the cake is warm so it soaks in and stays glossy. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; rewarm slices in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Freezing is yes (wrap airtight and freeze up to 2 months). For a lighter option, swap sour cream with plain Greek yogurt for similar tang and moisture.