Cakes/ Dessert/ Most Popular/ Recipes

Whole Wheat Applesauce Loaf Cake

You know, I would love to have a bakery someday.

It’s always been a secret little dream of mine, to own my own little bakery and fill it with crusty artisan breads, cinnamon rolls, flaky scones and rustic cakes. I don’t know if it will ever happen, but I’m just putting it out there. I think owning a bakery or boulangerie, rather, would be awesome.

And if I did one day own a bakery, this “rustic cake” would definitely be on the menu at all times. Wow, is it good. I wanted to create an old fashioned applesauce spice cake with cream cheese frosting to celebrate the beginning of fall, and then this happened. I’m so glad it did! I pretty much ate it for breakfast all week long.

And why wouldn’t I? This loaf cake is made with 100% whole wheat flour, chunky unsweetened applesauce and lots of spices. It’s perfect for breakfast {who doesn’t love cream cheese frosting for breakfast?} or a snack anytime!


Gravenstein apple season is a big deal here in Sonoma County. Every year I plan on checking out the apple festival….and every year I miss it completely. I don’t know how that happens.

But I do manage to buy lots of apples and apple products around this time, like local juice and applesauce like the one I used for this recipe.

You could also bake cupcakes {or muffins} using this recipe, or double it and spread it evenly in two 9″ cake pans for a layered applesauce spice cake—perfect for any fall celebration! I don’t know what it is about spice cakes like this but I just can never get enough….especially cold, right out of the fridge.

I mean, I think we have all the major food groups covered here, right? {well, except chocolate, that is}

Whole Wheat Applesauce Loaf Cake

makes 1 loaf cake

Print this recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 cup applesauce (unsweetened)

frosting—

1 stick butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan well with cooking spray.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the egg and keep beating until well combined.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add dry ingredients, along with applesauce, to the wet ingredients and beat until combined.

Spread batter out in greased loaf pan, smooth surface with a rubber spatula, and bake for about 1 hour, until cooked through and golden brown.

To make the icing, just beat together the butter and cream cheese until well combined, then add the powdered sugar and cinnamon. Continue beating on high for 6-8 minutes until light and fluffy. Spread icing on completely cooled loaf and enjoy!

Time:

active time – 10 minutes

total time – 1 hr 10 minutes

 

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  • Edith
    September 5, 2012 at 3:07 am

    This recipe is just perfect for autumn!! And the cake looks so pretty!

  • Lauren at Keep It Sweet
    September 5, 2012 at 3:24 am

    This looks delicious and I love the photos!

  • Jen
    September 5, 2012 at 3:59 am

    “Just putting it out there”…yes, I think sometimes we just need to put stuff out there to the Universe and have faith. But a writer, a baker, a blogger – how will you do it all?! πŸ™‚

    By the way, are you only sponsored by BlogHer now? I thought you used to have Foodbuzz too.

    • jenna
      September 5, 2012 at 6:39 am

      Yep, I do work with BlogHer now.

  • Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
    September 5, 2012 at 4:17 am

    This is a beauty! And having a bakery one day would be PERFECT for you! I’d travel across the border to go there for sure….pretty much for this cake πŸ™‚

  • ellie
    September 5, 2012 at 5:00 am

    Wow that looks amazing! I have a pot luck this weekend and I think I’ll give this a try

  • Laura
    September 5, 2012 at 5:07 am

    Jenna, I think you made a typo, actually I think you’re missing a word in the sentence – “I don’t know it is about spice cakes like this but I just can never get enough”. I’m pretty sure you are missing the word “what”!

    regardless, this cake looks beautiful and sounds like it would be delicious. the spices sound like a dream.

    p.s please open your boulangerie, it sounds like a splendid idea!!

    • jenna
      September 5, 2012 at 6:39 am

      Yes! Thanks πŸ™‚

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat
    September 5, 2012 at 5:10 am

    This is so perfect for fall! I agree with you Jenna – owning a bakery, or better yet, a boulangerie, would be amazing! Just like Meryl Streep in It’s Complicated. πŸ™‚ As a kid, I wanted to be a baker and would always peek behind the counter into the grocery store bakery too see if I could spot things going into/coming out of the oven. This particular grocery store had a cookie club for all kids under 5 and that meant I got a free cookie every time I went. If you start a boulangerie, can you do something similar for adults? πŸ˜‰

  • Jenna
    September 5, 2012 at 5:10 am

    Love this! apple cake is the best.

  • Katie
    September 5, 2012 at 5:12 am

    I’m in love with the look of this. Completely perfect for fall. I will be making this. πŸ™‚

  • Molly @ RDexposed
    September 5, 2012 at 5:12 am

    A little ELR bakery would be so cute! Early hours again though? Or would this be an afternoon bakery? πŸ˜‰

  • Emma
    September 5, 2012 at 5:21 am

    omg! I opened up my Boston Globe G magazine today and your interview was on the back page!! I was so excited. Meat fabrication class sounds like a real challenge!

    • jenna
      September 5, 2012 at 6:38 am

      Oh yay! But drats, because I can’t see the article online!

  • Joelle (on a pink typewriter)
    September 5, 2012 at 5:40 am

    This sounds great! My Dad would love this cake.

  • katie @KatieDid
    September 5, 2012 at 6:22 am

    love the run into fall recipes, yayyy this made me happy.

  • Courtney @ Sweet Tooth, Sweet Life
    September 5, 2012 at 6:24 am

    This looks sooooo right up my alley!

    • peterson stephen
      January 9, 2021 at 2:38 am

      Hi Courtney, do you think I can put coconut slices in this and still get a tasty treat? golden7words@yahoo.com ; text at 416 333 4162. Many thanks.

  • Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe
    September 5, 2012 at 6:26 am

    Oh, that luscious frosting! The moist spicy cake! Whole wheat flour! All the things!

  • Erin
    September 5, 2012 at 6:30 am

    For the frosting, did you add any spices in? It looks like in the picture it might have some extra outside of the butter, sugar and cream cheese listed on the ingredients.

    • jenna
      September 5, 2012 at 6:38 am

      Very observant, you are! I just fixed the recipe—I had forgotten the tsp of cinnamon πŸ™‚

  • Maria
    September 5, 2012 at 6:41 am

    Yes, please!!! I am excited for fall flavors!

  • Julie
    September 5, 2012 at 6:45 am

    Jenna- could you veganize this by just using Earth Balance instead of butter and a flax egg instead of a real egg? Just want to be sure it would still turn out as good as yours looks!

  • bridget {bake at 350}
    September 5, 2012 at 6:47 am

    Jenna! I think I might have fainted a little when I clicked over and saw that first picture. If I didn’t faint, I definitely SWOONED!!! There is *something* about spice cakes with cream cheese frosting that is so comforting. And whole wheat, apples…it’s practically health food.

  • Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray
    September 5, 2012 at 6:53 am

    This loaf cake basically summarizes everything I love about fall. I can’t wait to have its sweet smells wafting through my kitchen!!

  • Jill
    September 5, 2012 at 6:58 am

    Oh, wow. I bet I would love this. Perfect for a cool Fall day!

  • Laura (Blogging Over Thyme)
    September 5, 2012 at 7:01 am

    This looks awesome! I love spice cakes too, they scream fall in my opinion and are really comforting with a big mug of tea in hand πŸ™‚ That swirl of icing on top is beautiful.

    Totally have similar life dreams, I wish one day I could open up a really tiny cafe or bakery. I think all the creative aspects of it are so appealing.

  • amy walters, aDESIGNdock
    September 5, 2012 at 7:01 am

    Yes. I think I need this cake in my life. Thank you ; )

  • Stephanie
    September 5, 2012 at 7:11 am

    Another great fall recipe. This loaf wouldn’t make me feel guilty at all! Not even with the cream cheese frosting.

  • Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles
    September 5, 2012 at 7:22 am

    Can I have a big bowl of that frosting with a side of cake, please?! YUM!!

  • Ronja @ a dash of faith
    September 5, 2012 at 7:27 am

    This looks like a wonderful autumn recipe! I love to bake spice cakes in the autumn; they are perfect with the comforting spices and the sweetness, of course.

  • Katie @ Talk Less, Say More
    September 5, 2012 at 7:28 am

    Wow! that looks amazing!!

  • Liz
    September 5, 2012 at 7:30 am

    Spice cake is amazing! I request a spice cake for my birthday in November every year. Next time, I am going to make this version instead of the boxed mixes. Thank you for this recipe!

  • carrian
    September 5, 2012 at 7:33 am

    That sounds and looks wonderful! I love apple anything, especially when it has a warm spice to it. Adore that last little plate ps. So pretty!

  • kim@hungryhealthygirl
    September 5, 2012 at 7:37 am

    I love applesauce cakes!! This one looks delicious and perfect for Fall. I’m all for cream cheese for breakfast!

  • charlotte
    September 5, 2012 at 7:59 am

    If you need a partner in the bakery industry I am your gal!

  • allie@sweetpotatobites
    September 5, 2012 at 8:13 am

    this looks awesome! and everything is better with a little cream cheese frosting.

  • Caroline
    September 5, 2012 at 8:16 am

    Oh my goodness, this looks delicious! Have you ever been to Wild Flour Bread in Freeborne – near Sebastopol? http://www.wildflourbread.com/ Ah-maz-ing. Mmm and your pictures are making me want to go there again (as if I didn’t already want to go there like every day of my life)! I can totally imagine you owning a place like that!

  • Sonal
    September 5, 2012 at 8:38 am

    The applesauce loaf cake has autumn written all over it. I love it! πŸ™‚ Cream cheese frosting…….is the best frosting πŸ™‚

  • Mila
    September 5, 2012 at 8:45 am

    Wow. How many things have to go wrong before you give up on a recipe?

    Oh, where do I begin on this one? I was *SO* excited to see this recipe this morning that I dove right into it because I was so excited to make something with that “fall flavor.” Well, it would have been smarter to first make sure I had all of the ingredients. It turns out I had only about 1.5 TBS of butter but I had already mixed my dry ingredients at this point. OK, life goes on – I’ll improvise! I threw in 3 TBS of yogurt to make up for it. Then, when I when I got the sugar to cream in the butter, I instead dumped it in my dry ingredient mixture bowl. “I mean seriously,” I thought, “should I just stop now!?” I knew I wouldn’t make the icing – no biggie! “I’ll throw some walnuts on top.” I made my mix, put it in the pan, put it in the oven. And then looked over at the unopened pack of walnuts on the counter. Pulled out the bread, sprinkled the walnuts and then put it back in the oven.

    Well, the good news is that despite all of my mistakes, this still turned out fabulous even though I sit here writing this like one of those all-recipes reviews where half the ingredients are different – that is not what I intended to do! :p I’m going to re-attempt this very soon but what came out of my oven was absolutely delicious! πŸ™‚

  • Caroline L.
    September 5, 2012 at 8:49 am

    Loaf cakes are my favorite! Ugh, now I am willing it to rain so I can bake this and sit in a corner listening to the rain while reading a book and drinking some chai and eating this!!

  • NIcole
    September 5, 2012 at 8:50 am

    Perfect for my taste buds! I love this and I can’t wait to make it πŸ™‚

  • Katryn
    September 5, 2012 at 9:10 am

    oh YUM…so excited for all the fall flavors! Can’t wait to make this…perfect afternoon snack with a nice cup of coffee….

  • Iris
    September 5, 2012 at 9:10 am

    Mmm love apple-based baked goods. Will have to make this one!

  • theresa @ aspoonfulofsunshine
    September 5, 2012 at 9:12 am

    Yum! There is nothing better than a spicy applesauce cake with cream cheese frosting! You really can’t forget the frosting πŸ™‚

  • Dana @ Conscious Kitchen Blog
    September 5, 2012 at 9:15 am

    This cakes looks so delicious – what a perfect combo, spiced cake and cream cheese frosting. I’m definitely going to have to try this recipe for fall!

  • Averie @ Averie Cooks
    September 5, 2012 at 9:34 am

    It’s a gorgeous cake – the frosting steals the show for me! But the applesauce I bet keeps it so moist!

    And I can totally see you owning a bakery in Nor Cal or anywhere, really. Right up your alley!

  • Michelle
    September 5, 2012 at 9:46 am

    I definitely see you in your own boulangerie someday. It’ll happen!

  • Erin @ Making Memories
    September 5, 2012 at 10:18 am

    WOW! I’d frequent your little bakery often! Especially to buy this bread. It sounds and looks amazing!

  • Margarita
    September 5, 2012 at 10:33 am

    dreams come true… your bakery will happen, just like your yoga teacher certification and your book! i went to our local barnes and noble to buy it but they didn’t have it on hand. i was sooooo bummed. but i just ordered it on amazon last night and saved 5 bucks. can’t wait for it to come!

  • sarah k @ the pajama chef
    September 5, 2012 at 10:54 am

    oh yum. my husband and i would LOVE to open a coffee shop called the cheerful chipmunk. it would be a ton of work but oh so fun!

  • Andrea
    September 5, 2012 at 11:03 am

    Hi!! So I just discovered your blog after hearing about your new book yesterday on like, every other blog that I read… and then upon deciding that I needed to read it, I also realized that you live in the same city that I work in!! Meant to be. Looking forward to reading more!

  • Mary @ Bake Break!
    September 5, 2012 at 11:13 am

    YES to your bakery! I have the same dream – except I have no desire to be there at 3 am every day… I’ll just be the brains behind my operation!

    This recipe is PERFECT for fall. I’ll definitely be trying it soon πŸ™‚

  • Laurel
    September 5, 2012 at 11:19 am

    Making this TODAY! Trying to coax Fall into Northern California…. πŸ™‚

  • Suzanne de Cornelia
    September 5, 2012 at 11:20 am

    You’ve undoubtedly been to La Boulange’s locations in San Francisco http://laboulangebakery.com/

    I remember when the French owner, Pascal Rigo…opened the original store at 2325 Pine St just west of Fillmore in Pacific Heights and lived in the apartment upstairs–about 15-years ago. It was better than many places in France….MBZs and Lexus would be lined up down the street early in the AM with tony customers dashing in for coffee and his incredible croissants to go. Most days he’d be behind the counter…and then the new locations and restaurants were added.

    He recently sold the operation to Starbucks for $100 Million and is staying on as general manager of both Bay Bread and La Boulange: http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Bay-Area-s-La-Boulange-bakery-sold-to-Starbucks-3608539.php#ixzz25cTKDr8u

    Who knew the charming tucked-away boulangerie was baking-up an empire worth a lot of dough!

  • Juliana Walters
    September 5, 2012 at 11:53 am

    Please just hand me a spoon and a larbowl of that frosting!!!

  • Cristen
    September 5, 2012 at 12:05 pm

    You owning a bakery would be amazing! I could see you having a “take a book, leave a book” shelf up front.

    Keep dreaming!

  • Rea Frey
    September 5, 2012 at 12:10 pm

    I am really hating being a vegan right now… πŸ™‚

  • Mary
    September 5, 2012 at 12:28 pm

    Wow! I am so excited to make this cake!!
    I was just wondering, do you think it would be possible to make this with ordinary store bought unsweetened applesauce? rather than the really good quality stuff you used?

  • Sonia the Mexigarian
    September 5, 2012 at 12:29 pm

    The cake looks so moist and delicious. I bake something similar every fall, in muffin/cupcake form. Apple cake and cream cheese is a heavenly combination. And it sounds like fall with this strange rain in the area. (I refuse to let go of summer until October)

    And if/when you do open a bakery, I’d be right in line waiting for bread. πŸ™‚ Or offering to paint images for you. lol.

  • Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
    September 5, 2012 at 12:48 pm

    Perfect loaf of fall flavors! I love the use of applesauce in this recipe πŸ™‚

  • Angela @ Happy Fit Mama
    September 5, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    The first thing I spotted when this popped up on my screen was the frosting. Holy yum! This screams Fall. I discovered I love spice cake last year. It is absolutely the best cold, right out of the fridge. Thanks for sharing!

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  • Michelle {LiveLoudly}
    September 5, 2012 at 1:40 pm

    Oh this is good! I would love to have this for a snack.
    I love your idea of opening up a little bakery shop. I can definitely imagine you there. People would be lining up daily for your awesome & creative treats.
    -Michelle {LiveLoudly}

  • Cookie and Kate
    September 5, 2012 at 2:20 pm

    This cake sounds fantastic, Jenna! I love anything with cream cheese icing, but whole wheat apple cake sounds particularly delicious.

  • Em (Wine and Butter)
    September 5, 2012 at 4:19 pm

    I think you seem like someone who makes your dreams come true (one of the reasons I love your blog ) so I can totally see it happening :). This cake looks so delicious – I think Im going to experiment with an almond flour version!

  • Crista
    September 5, 2012 at 4:24 pm

    That looks tasty! I could use my own homemade applesauce recipe to make this bread. Bookmarking!

  • Sarah
    September 5, 2012 at 5:06 pm

    Looks delicious! Definitely adding it to my list of things to make in the near future!

  • Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love.
    September 5, 2012 at 5:44 pm

    This looks so moist and delicious! And I love the frosting on top!

  • Teresa
    September 5, 2012 at 6:13 pm

    I’ve been meaning to thank you for coming with me on a whirlwind, stressful 1 day business trip to NYC from Charlotte. πŸ™‚ I’m not a big fan of work travel and completely obsess/stress about presentations so this day was a doozie for me. But, I took your book and got lost in it. Finished the whole thing on my trip. It was like traveling with a friend which was an unexpected surprise from the day! Thanks!

  • Jamie @ Thrifty Veggie Mama
    September 5, 2012 at 6:21 pm

    This looks so delicious! I want that frosting.

  • Amy
    September 5, 2012 at 6:51 pm

    This cake sounds so good. I haven’t been to that apple festival since I was a kid!

  • alice
    September 5, 2012 at 7:16 pm

    love, love, love~~~ can’t wait to try this.

  • Christi Flaherty
    September 5, 2012 at 7:57 pm

    Hi Jenna.
    I found your website through Kath Eats! As soon as I saw Gravenstein I knew you were close by. I live in Vacaville and blog as well (like most of the Bay Area) at http://www.cookwhatyouvegot.com

    I am excited to read more of your blog. This recipe looks awesome. I’ll just have to figure out how to make it gluten free! Thanks for reminding me it’s almost fall even though inland temperatures still say summer!

  • Sydney
    September 5, 2012 at 8:00 pm

    Any chance this recipe will still turn out with a chia or flax egg instead?

  • Jamie@everydaydolce.com
    September 5, 2012 at 8:58 pm

    That looks so delicious! And your presentation is beautiful (as always). I will definitely be trying this out for the weekend πŸ™‚

  • amanda
    September 6, 2012 at 4:57 am

    where did your search bar go?? I’m dying.

  • Sara
    September 6, 2012 at 5:54 am

    Yes, where is the search bar?

    • jenna
      September 6, 2012 at 7:41 am

      I had to shift some things around on my sidebar yesterday but working on getting it back soon πŸ™‚

      • Sara
        September 6, 2012 at 1:18 pm

        thanks! πŸ™‚

  • Jess
    September 6, 2012 at 7:13 am

    Hi there!
    How long would I bake these if making muffins? 25-30 minutes at the same oven temp? Just checked my cupboard and I have exactly 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce just awaiting to be turned into this delish treat!
    Thanks!

    • jenna
      September 6, 2012 at 5:13 pm

      Yep! About 30 minutes but check to make sure they are baked through (I still do the toothpick test with some baked goods!).

      • Sarah O.
        September 14, 2012 at 9:23 am

        I made this recipe this morning as muffins, and I baked them at 350 for 13 minutes and they were just perfect. The only changes I made were to use stevia and leave off the frosting.

        That being said, I’m eating one right now and basically dying. They actually are the perfect muffin, light but somehow still hearty, and definitely not too sweet. I hate it when I want breakfast and I get cake instead, and sans frosting this cake is definitely breakfast material. I love this recipe!

  • Mina
    September 6, 2012 at 7:24 am

    Oh yum…no, actually the word for this would be SCRUMPTIOUS…yeah, a bit old-fashioned but old-fashioned is the way to go these days!! haha …anyhow that applesauce loaf is right up on my TO-BAKE-(using-Dad’s-oven) list πŸ™‚

    And as for moi, a boulangerie all the way, definitely…I’ve even thought of names for the dang place! Gosh…am I the only one?? lol

  • Andrea @ Vegvacious
    September 6, 2012 at 8:33 am

    I love apple season – we’re lucky enough to live in an area surrounded by apple orchards although our season doesn’t really pick up until mid-September!

    This is a GREAT recipe! It would be perfect for a Sunday brunch or coffee meet up with friends — or of course breakfast, because I definitely am a fan of cream cheese frosting in the AM!

  • Janelle
    September 6, 2012 at 9:11 am

    This look AMAZING. Wondering if there is any way to make it gluten-free… ideas?

  • Sandra
    September 6, 2012 at 10:10 am

    Dude, I ALWAYS miss the Gravenstien Apple Fair too! Y’know, I think it’s because it’s sooo early in the season! Who is thinking about apples on August 12th? πŸ˜‰ I was still too busy trying to get one last good wear out of this summer’s tankini!

  • Barbara
    September 6, 2012 at 10:14 am

    I LOVE all the flavors of Fall! This looks wonderful! I’ll be making it and soon!! It looks like it could easily become a “go-to” Fall recipe. Your banana chocolate chip muffins have become a “go-to” muffin recipe for me. I’ve made them a bunch of times! Soo good!

    Congrats on your book, too!!!

  • Elisabeth
    September 6, 2012 at 11:02 am

    This looks delicious, Jenna! My mom loves applesauce cake, so I’ll definitely have to make this for her.

    I just read your book in pretty much one sitting – really enjoyed it! While my story is technically nothing like yours, I could definitely relate to much of what you had written (especially about feeling like an outsider at times). Congratulations on a wonderful first book πŸ™‚

  • Sam @ Better With Sprinkles
    September 6, 2012 at 11:25 am

    If you ever start a bakery, I hope you have online ordering/shipping, because I’m going to want to be all over that. πŸ™‚

    This is such a perfect fall recipe!

  • Elizabeth
    September 6, 2012 at 12:37 pm

    I am going to make this as cupcakes for my daughter’s birthday party at preschool! Sounds so good – thanks!!

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  • Des
    September 6, 2012 at 1:45 pm

    Can’t. Wait. To. Make. This.

    Thank you! And congratulations on your book. Look forward to your future bakery, as well. πŸ˜‰

  • Kristel Surcon
    September 6, 2012 at 1:46 pm

    I am pinning this now and will make it next week, but I have a question. What is a stick of butter? The butter I buy comes in big 2 cup bricks. That can’t be right. Would it be 1/2 a cup maybe?
    Thank you and it looks oh so delicious!!!

    Kristel

    • jenna
      September 6, 2012 at 2:29 pm

      Hi! Yes, 1/2 cup butter.

  • Chelsea
    September 6, 2012 at 1:46 pm

    This looks so yummy!! delicious!

  • Sara
    September 6, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    Could I use whole wheat pastry flour instead?

    • jenna
      September 6, 2012 at 2:16 pm

      Yep!

  • Rachel @ Baked by Rachel
    September 6, 2012 at 2:31 pm

    I want this in such a serious way

  • Melodie
    September 6, 2012 at 3:14 pm

    I have a gluten free version of this baking in my oven right now! I added a bit of chopped up apple too :). Can’t wait to taste it!!!

  • Megan @ MegGoesNomNom
    September 6, 2012 at 6:31 pm

    This looks so wonderful. I love how approachable the recipe is – no odd ingredients. Just lots of delicious goodness! That frosting looks killer.

  • Haylee
    September 6, 2012 at 9:00 pm

    THANK YOU!! I made this yesterday (substituted coconut oil “buttercream” frosting for cream cheese frosting) and my husband who usually doesnt like spiced cake or anything wheat LOOVED this! My co-workers couldnt stop raving about it either! Thanks for the recipe!

  • Emma
    September 6, 2012 at 11:27 pm

    Hi all, I’ve stumbled onto this blog from far far away in Sydney, Australia!! I would love to make this cake it looks divine, unfortunately our butter here only comes in large blocks – no sticks, could someone please let me know how many grams a ‘stick’ of butter is equivalent to?
    Cheers, Emma

  • Lesley
    September 7, 2012 at 2:11 am

    Sounds delish! Love the idea for the fall πŸ™‚

  • Emily @ Life on Food
    September 7, 2012 at 3:32 am

    I love all the healthy ingredients in this…perfect fall breakfast. How can people not say fall is their favorite?

  • Amanda
    September 7, 2012 at 4:34 am

    I tried this out last night! I only had .5 cup of applesauce, so I used .5 cup of Chobani apple cinnamon along with it and it turned out amazing. The icing turned out great as well, but I had enough to frost two of them. I was wondering what the dimensions of the pan you use are? I got mine at the Dollar Store, so maybe it’s not as long as yours, which left less space for frosting.

    Anyway, thanks for sharing another awesome recipe! My husband thanks you as well haha.

  • Aubrey
    September 7, 2012 at 7:21 am

    Hi Jenna,
    I have been following your blog for a few months now and LOVE it! This cake looks amazing. I live in AZ so we hope to see fall by Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite season so I do a lot of tricking myself that it’s already here. The biggest is by making lots of fall foods. I can’t wait to try this! Good luck with the book. I can’t wait to read it.

  • Kristen
    September 7, 2012 at 5:25 pm

    Just sat down with a piece of this bread, your new book, and a glass of wine! Perfect little Friday night if you ask me.

  • Kathleen @ KatsHealthCorner
    September 7, 2012 at 8:11 pm

    This sounds AMAZING! I am TOTALLY bookmarking this! Thank you so much for an incredible recipe! πŸ™‚

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  • sandy
    September 9, 2012 at 12:54 pm

    Yum! Made it and love it! It is great to have for the first weekend of fall! I made the icing too, which is yummers. It made a ton of icing though, so i was forced to make 2 loafs πŸ™‚ I would cut the frosting ingredients in half for next time.

  • Leslie Underwood
    September 10, 2012 at 6:03 am

    I made this for dessert last night and it was great! Thanks for the lovely recipe, Jenna. This will definitely become a staple in my house.

  • Cathy
    September 10, 2012 at 6:58 am

    I made this yesterday and it was amazing!!! DH loved it too and that says A LOT! Thank you for sharing this recipe. Only thing I will change is making 1/4 of the frosting.

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  • Trixie
    September 12, 2012 at 8:44 am

    Jenna, I just made this last night and it turned out great! I really slathered the frosting on, and I still have a whole bowl of extra frosting…which is a plus in my book! =) I just used regular white flour, and it turned out great still.

  • tamara
    September 13, 2012 at 3:49 pm

    we made this today in my special needs culinary class. We added apple pie filling and reduced the applesauce by half because that was what we had. Rave reviews from a group of high school students who are not that fond of whole wheat:)

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  • Cortney
    September 15, 2012 at 7:28 am

    I made this on Tuesday morning for my husband to have before work and my daughter to have before school…it was amazing and completely gone by Tuesday night!! I made a glaze instead of the frosting to make it more breakfasty. My glaze was powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and heavy cream…yummmmm! Thanks for sharing πŸ™‚

  • Amber
    September 16, 2012 at 9:17 am

    I made this last night and it turned out amazing! I didn’t frost it, and didn’t miss the extra sweetness at all. Will be making this again!

  • Kristen
    September 16, 2012 at 4:35 pm

    Made this (cut the sugar in half and added an extra half cup of apple sauce and added some ripened mashed bananas) and not only was my house smelling awesome but it tastes sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good! I will definitely use this recipe again. MMmmmmmm,

  • Taylor
    September 16, 2012 at 7:29 pm

    This was seriously amazing! My roommate and I ate it in probably 3 days. I’m thinking I will have to make it again very soon! P.S. I will hopefully be coming to your book signing in Charleston!

  • Pam
    September 18, 2012 at 6:09 am

    I made this last night and it was amazing! I doubled the cake recipe and make 2 9″ round cakes that baked for about 30 minutes each. 1 batch of the frosting was enough to cover all of it. Our guests loved it and we even had some leftover for breakfast this morning – yum! πŸ™‚

  • Joanne
    September 18, 2012 at 7:12 am

    I just had to tell you that I made this last night for Rosh Hashanah and it was really delicious! Thank you πŸ™‚ I brought it to the office today and people are gobbling it up!

  • Paige Varney
    September 18, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    This little snacking cake is the perfect way to start off the fall flavors. My girls and I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to add a few extras next time such as toasted walnuts or maybe rum soaked raisins! Yum! Thanks for starting off the fall with a bang!

  • Chrissy
    September 21, 2012 at 6:28 pm

    I’ve made this twice and gotten rave reviews. I halved the frosting recipe and it was more than enough (for me). I am making it as a birthday cake on the weekend.

    Thanks Jenna! Your recipes always turn out and I look like a Baking Queen. When you open your boulangerie, I will definitely visit!

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  • dee
    December 16, 2012 at 7:40 pm

    I never post on these online blog things but I just had to this time…I just made this and I am so pleased. even my hard to please parents are raving about how good this was. i love whole wheat things and this tasted lovely. thanks!

  • Serena
    December 17, 2012 at 4:52 am

    I made this recipe yesterday, it is definitely better the next day! Before it completely cools, it is very crumbly due to the lack of gluten int eh whole wheat. Once it is completely cooled though, it sets very nicely.

    I also had to add about 1/4 cup of milk. When I mixed int eh dry ingredients, the batter was way to dry.

    I also added raisins (personal favorite).

    Scrumptious!

  • Sarah
    February 2, 2013 at 9:48 pm

    Fanstastic! Very very yummy. I will definitely be making this again πŸ™‚

  • Lisa
    February 24, 2013 at 3:31 pm

    Non-cook that I am, I just made this. It was quite good! (Didn’t make frosting, though.) I like that it’s not too sweet and seems semi-healthy. I did mine in three small loaf pans (not the teeny-tiny ones) and baked them for about 50 minutes. It’s definitely more the consistency of a bread rather than a cake, which is what I was hoping for. I’d never made a cake with applesauce in it; was happy with how easy it was to mix. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

  • Anne
    March 23, 2013 at 2:50 am

    Jenna – from which cookbook did you get the original recipe? It is so hard to find cookbooks with whole wheat baking recipes. Just curious.

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    September 19, 2013 at 7:05 pm

    Say no more – that fluffy, mile-high frosting says it all!

  • Tia
    October 1, 2013 at 4:05 pm

    Jenna,
    I just had to tell you that this recipe rocks. I made it into cupcakes for my one year old bday party, I’ve taken it to friends house, served it at our house and when I have cream cheese and just don’t know what to do with it…. I make this cake (with the frosting). I love the fall flavors and the smell that fills the house as it’s baking. Thank you for sharing your love of baking and cooking that my family and I can reap the benefits of ALL your recipes (cause of made LOTS of them)!!

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  • Justeen
    February 5, 2014 at 7:07 pm

    I adore this loaf cake! It’s not fall anymore, but I’ve been wanting to make this for ages, so I whipped it up tonight. Absolutely wonderful! I used whole wheat pastry flour and the cake had such a light, tender crumb.

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  • Steffi
    September 13, 2014 at 6:46 pm

    I know this is an old post, but: I made this today, baked in an 8 inch spring-form cake pan, and it turned out wonderful! The fact that it was less sweet than your average cake, with a kind of nutty flavor due to the whole wheat flour really sets it apart. I didn’t have the ingredients for the frosting, so I just made a spice glaze to drizzle over individual pieces as they were cut, and everyone loved it. Thanks for another great recipe!

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  • Dixie Jones
    July 31, 2017 at 5:03 pm

    I will not make this recipe again! It is very dry and the icing ingredients make twice as much as is needed for the loaf. Adding the cinnamon into the icing gives it a merky brown speckled color – not very appetizing. A big waste of time. WE had a taste and threw the rest into the garbage.

  • Michelle
    September 16, 2017 at 8:10 pm

    I’m sorry Jenna, but this was disappointing . The cake quality is good, but there’s little to no depth of favour and it’s way too much icing.

    • jenna
      September 18, 2017 at 9:56 am

      I’m sorry you didn’t care for it!

  • Carol Breslin
    August 19, 2019 at 12:02 pm

    I want to use up a jar of bottled applesauce. I wonder if the cake will be as good as it would have been with homemade applesauce? I don’t want to go to all this trouble and then have it be blah, because there is a world of difference between canned and homemade applesauce, as you well know. So, are there any good recipes for bottled applesauce or should I just throw it out? My husband bought it for pork chops. I would never have bought it

  • Aubrey
    August 11, 2020 at 10:35 pm

    Made this the other day with apple-pear butter and it was like heaven in a loaf pan. I used dark brown sugar (was what I had), coconut oil for butter, and subbed a tablespoon of dark rum for the vanilla. Move over, pumpkin bread…