When I was growing up, our next-door neighbor Mrs. Henderson had a bundt cake on her counter every single weekend without fail.
My mom would send me over to borrow a cup of sugar, and I'd come back with a slice of whatever cake was cooling on the rack that day.
Her applesauce bundt cake was the one I always hoped for. Dense but never heavy, sweet without being sugary, and so moist it left your fingers a little sticky.
Years later, I finally asked her what made it so good. She laughed and said "yogurt and applesauce, that's the whole secret."
I've been making my own version ever since, and she was absolutely right.
This applesauce bundt cake uses 1 ¾ cups of applesauce and 1 ¼ cups of yogurt instead of loads of butter. The result is one of the moistest cakes I've ever baked, and it doesn't taste like diet food in any way.
One bowl. No electric mixer. No creaming butter. Just whisk, fold, pour, and bake.
It comes out of the oven golden and gorgeous every time, and it's the kind of cake you can have with coffee in the morning or bring to a dinner party without a second thought.
I promise, once you taste it, you'll understand why Mrs. Henderson made it every week.
Why This Applesauce Bundt Cake Works
This isn't just any bundt cake. The combination of applesauce and yogurt creates something special.
- Applesauce replaces most of the fat while adding natural sweetness and moisture. You only need ⅓ cup of oil for the entire cake. The applesauce does the rest.
- One-bowl method. No creaming butter, no stand mixer, no fussing with room-temperature eggs. Whisk the dry, stir in the wet, pour, and bake.
- Stays fresh for days. The double moisture from applesauce and yogurt means this cake is incredibly moist on day one and still perfect on day four.
- Simple warm spice profile. Just cinnamon, or leave it out entirely if you prefer a clean vanilla flavor. Both ways are delicious.
Ingredients You'll Need
Pantry staples, nothing unusual. Here's what goes into this cake and why each ingredient matters.
- All-purpose flour (2 ¾ cups). The foundation. I use standard AP flour and measure by weight (350 grams) for the best results. Spooning and leveling works too.
- Granulated sugar (2 cups). This sounds like a lot, but the cake is large (16 slices) and the sugar helps keep it moist. Many readers have successfully reduced this to 1 ½ cups with great results.
- Baking soda (2 ½ teaspoons). The primary leavener. It reacts with the acidity from the yogurt and applesauce.
- Baking powder (1 ¼ teaspoons). Extra lift for that tall, even rise.
- Kosher salt (1 teaspoon). Balances the sweetness. Don't skip it.
- Ground cinnamon (1 ½ teaspoons). Optional but highly recommended. It adds that warm, cozy quality. Leave it out for a simpler vanilla cake.
- Unsweetened applesauce (1 ¾ cups). The first source of moisture. Homemade or store-bought both work perfectly. Smooth applesauce gives a more even crumb than chunky.
- Plain yogurt (1 ¼ cups). The second source of moisture. Any fat percentage works, from nonfat to full-fat. Greek yogurt works too. The acidity activates the leavening and creates an incredibly tender crumb.
- Eggs (2 large). Structure and binding.
- Neutral oil (⅓ cup). Grapeseed, vegetable, or avocado oil. A small amount for extra moisture without any butter flavor needed.
- Vanilla extract (1 ½ teaspoons). Rounds out all the other flavors beautifully.
Substitutions and Variations
This recipe is forgiving and easy to customize.
- Make it dairy-free. Use plant-based yogurt (coconut or oat yogurt works best). The cake won't miss the dairy at all.
- Add chopped walnuts. Fold 1 cup chopped walnuts into the batter for a nutty crunch in every slice.
- Add raisins or dried cranberries. About ¾ cup stirred into the batter adds little bursts of sweetness.
- Fresh grated apple. Add 1 cup grated apple to the batter for even more apple flavor and pockets of fruity moisture.
- Chocolate version. Fold in ⅓ cup cocoa powder with the dry ingredients for a chocolate applesauce bundt cake. Reduce the flour by ⅓ cup to compensate.
- Warm spice blend. Instead of just cinnamon, use 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon allspice, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg for a more complex spice profile.
- Reduce the sugar. Many people have made this with 1 ½ cups sugar with excellent results. I wouldn't go below 1 cup since sugar helps keep the cake moist.
How to Make Applesauce Bundt Cake
One bowl, six steps, and about an hour of baking. This is as simple as cake gets.
Step 1: Prep the Pan
Preheat your oven to 325°F.
Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan thoroughly with butter or nonstick baking spray. Get into every groove and crevice. Applesauce batter has extra moisture, which makes sticking more likely if you skip this step.
Pro tip: After greasing, dust the pan with a thin layer of flour and tap out the excess. This creates an extra insurance layer against sticking.
Step 2: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 ¾ cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon (if using), and 1 teaspoon salt.
Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a separate bowl (or a large measuring cup), stir together the 1 ¾ cups applesauce, 1 ¼ cups yogurt, 2 eggs, ⅓ cup oil, and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla.
Step 4: Fold Together
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy. That's perfect.
Do NOT overmix. A few small lumps are fine.
Step 5: Bake
Pour the batter into your prepared Bundt pan.
Bake at 325°F for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Every oven is different, so start checking at 50 minutes.
Step 6: Cool and Release
Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-30 minutes. This is important. If you wait too long, the cake can stick. If you don't wait long enough, it might crack.
Run a thin knife or offset spatula around the center tube to loosen. Place a cooling rack or plate over the top, then flip the whole thing over in one confident motion.
Tap the bottom of the pan firmly a few times, then lift it off. The cake should release cleanly.
The Best Bundt Cake Pan
A good pan makes all the difference with bundt cakes.
I use a 12-cup Nordic Ware Original Bundt Pan and have never had an issue with sticking or uneven baking. The classic scalloped shape is gorgeous, and cakes bake super evenly every time.
Whatever pan you use, make sure it's a 10-12 cup capacity. Anything smaller and the batter will overflow.
Non-stick pans are easier to work with, but even with non-stick, you should still grease thoroughly. This batter has a lot of moisture.
How to Get Bundt Cake Out of the Pan
Bundt pans are notorious for sticking. Here's how to avoid the heartbreak of leaving half your cake behind.
- Grease generously. Use a pastry brush to get butter into every groove. Or use a baking spray with flour (like Baker's Joy). Don't be shy.
- Wait the right amount of time. Cool in the pan for 15-30 minutes. Not 5 minutes (too hot, will crack) and not an hour (cake contracts and grips the pan).
- Run a knife around the center. A thin paring knife or offset spatula around the center tube loosens the one spot that sticks most often.
- Flip with confidence. Place your cooling rack over the top, hold both sides firmly, and flip in one smooth motion. Tap the bottom a few times, then lift.
- If a piece sticks. Don't panic. Just press it back into place on the warm cake. The moisture will help it reattach, and a dusting of powdered sugar covers everything.
Topping and Glaze Options
This cake is moist enough to stand on its own, but toppings are always fun.
- Simple powdered sugar dusting. The classic. Sift powdered sugar over the cooled cake for a clean, elegant look. This is my go-to for weekday baking.
- Spiced sugar coating. Brush the warm cake with 2 tablespoons melted butter, then roll or pat 2 tablespoons sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon cinnamon all over. Gives a sweet, sparkly, slightly crunchy exterior.
- Caramel drizzle. Drizzle store-bought or homemade caramel sauce over the cooled cake. The apple and caramel combination is incredible.
- Cream cheese glaze. Beat 2 oz softened cream cheese with ½ cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
- Serve it plain. Honestly, this cake needs nothing. The crumb is so moist and flavorful that a bare slice with a cup of coffee is perfection.
How to Store Applesauce Bundt Cake
The double moisture from applesauce and yogurt means this cake stays fresh longer than most.
- Room temperature. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a cake dome. Keeps well for 3-4 days.
- Fridge. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- Freezer. Let the cake cool completely (this may take several hours). Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil or a large zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the counter.
Tips for the Perfect Applesauce Bundt Cake
A few things I've learned from making this cake more times than I can count.
- Don't overmix. Overmixing develops too much gluten, which leads to a dense, tough cake. Stir until just combined and stop.
- Room temperature ingredients. Cold yogurt and cold eggs don't mix as evenly. Set everything out 30 minutes before you start.
- Test with a skewer at 50 minutes. Ovens vary. Start checking at 50 minutes and add time in 5-minute increments if needed.
- Smooth applesauce works best. Chunky applesauce can create uneven spots in the crumb. Smooth gives you a consistent texture throughout.
- Unsweetened applesauce is preferred. Sweetened applesauce works but you may want to reduce the sugar slightly. The cake won't be too sweet with 2 cups sugar as written, I promise.
Fair warning: Once you bring this to a gathering, people will start asking you to make it for every event. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Recipe
Moist Applesauce Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 350g
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon optional
- 1 ¾ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1 ¼ cups plain yogurt any fat percentage
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup neutral oil grapeseed, vegetable, or avocado
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Optional Topping
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan thoroughly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon (if using), and salt.
- In a separate bowl, stir together applesauce, yogurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 15-30 minutes. Run a knife around the center tube to loosen, then invert onto a cooling rack. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
- Pan prep is critical: Grease every groove of the Bundt pan thoroughly. The extra moisture in this batter makes sticking more likely.
- Don't overmix: Stir until just combined. A few small lumps are fine.
- Sugar reduction: Many readers have successfully used 1 ½ cups sugar with great results.
- Yogurt: Any fat percentage works, from nonfat to full-fat. Greek yogurt works too.
- Smooth applesauce preferred: Chunky applesauce can create uneven spots in the crumb.
- Freezing: Cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the counter.
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