Applesauce Crumb Cake
Moist and delicious Applesauce Crumb Cake is loaded with cinnamon, applesauce, and apple pie filling, then topped with a sweet crumb topping and baked to perfection. Drizzle it with the powdered sugar glaze while the cake is still a bit warm, and your family will love it!
Making the Most Moist Crumb Cake
There’s nothing like a good 9×13 cake, especially one made with a cake mix and some apple pie filling, to boot!
I got this recipe years ago from my good friend, Karen Willard, and I’ve been enjoying it ever since. It’s served chilled because of the whipping cream and coconut icing, and it’s quite the cake experience.
We prefer this cake with the powdered sugar glaze, but it’s up to you how you want to serve it. If you’re planning it as an after-dinner dessert, it’s delicious topped with vanilla ice cream, so you won’t need the glaze.
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If you are looking for similar recipes, try my Super Moist Caramel Apple Cake. It is a moist, tender, and deliciously dense cake dripping with warm caramel sauce. Or this Glazed Cherry Coffee Cake, which can be served for brunch or as a dessert.
Applesauce Crumb Cake Ingredients
Applesauce Cake
- White cake mix: I prefer Betty Crocker Super Moist white cake mix, but use your preferred brand. Feel free to substitute a yellow cake mix, if needed.
- Unsweetened applesauce: May substitute sweetened applesauce.
- Apple pie filling: I prefer Wilderness brand but use the brand you prefer.
- Large eggs
- Cinnamon
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Vegetable or canola oil
- All-purpose flour
- Old-fashioned oats: You can substitute quick oats but the crumb topping will then have a finer texture
- Dark brown sugar
- Melted butter:
Powdered Sugar Glaze, Optional
- Powdered sugar, milk, and kosher salt: The addition of salt to a sweet glaze helps to round out the ingredients for smoother flavor and also to take the edge off the sugar.
How to Make Applesauce Crumb Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Position the oven rack to the lower third of the oven. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. I love to use this cast iron 9×13 baking pan.
Place the cake mix into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the cinnamon. Add the sour cream or Greek yogurt, applesauce, eggs and oil.
Using an electric mixer, combine the ingredients on low speed, then beat everything on medium speed for 1 minute until well combined and the batter is smooth.
Spread the prepared cake batter evenly into the sprayed baking pan. Spoon the apple pie filling evenly over the batter.
In a small mixing bowl, add the crumble topping ingredients and combine well.
Evenly sprinkle the prepared topping over the apple pie filling.
Bake the cake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
Whisk glaze ingredients in a small bowl until smooth, adjusting with a bit more milk or powdered sugar for the desired consistency.
Wait until the cake is partially cooled before drizzling it with the glaze. If you add the glaze while the cake is hot from the oven, it will melt into the cake and you won’t be able to see how pretty it is.
Drizzle over cake before it cools completely. Cut the cake into squares and serve warm.
Make This Cake Ahead
This cake just gets better and better the longer it rests. I love to make it 24 hours in advance so that it’s not only more moist but also easier to slice and serve.
Once you’ve cut the cake into squares, you can pop them into the microwave for just a few seconds (say 12-15 seconds) to serve this cake warm, especially if vanilla ice cream is available.
If you have leftovers of this cake, it freezes great for up to 3 months in an air-tight container. Just thaw, reheat, and eat!
More Easy Cake Recipes
Desserts made in a 9×13 pan are always easy to whip up when you need something sweet for a meal or gathering. They come out of the oven looking yummy and beautiful and are still considered homemade!
Fresh Strawberry Crumble is made with fresh sliced strawberries covered with crunchy brown sugar, oat topping, and baked until golden brown and bubbly.
Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling combines chunks of canned Pillsbury cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling, and whipping cream to create a downright delicious cinnamon roll cobbler.
Amish Applesauce Cake is a super moist applesauce cake recipe with raisins and walnuts. This applesauce cake is the best old fashioned recipe I’ve been able to find.
Applesauce Crumb Cake
Ingredients
Applesauce Cake
- 1 14.25 ounce white or yellow cake mix I prefer Betty Crocker Super Moist white cake mix, but use your preferred brand
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce may substitute sweetened applesauce, if needed
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
- 21 ounce can apple pie filling I prefer Wilderness brand
Crumb Topping
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup old-fashioned oats may substitute quick oats but topping will have a finer texture
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
Powdered Sugar Glaze, Optional
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons milk
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Make and Bake the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Position the oven rack to the lower third of the oven.
- Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
- Place the cake mix into a large mixing bowl; stir in the cinnamon.1 14.25 ounce white or yellow cake mix, 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Add the sour cream or Greek yogurt, applesauce, eggs and oil.1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, 3 large eggs, ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
- Using an electric mixer, combine the ingredients on low speed, then beat everything on medium speed for 1 minute until well combined and and the batter is smooth.
- Spread the prepared cake batter evenly into the sprayed baking pan.
- Spoon the apple pie filling evenly over the batter.21 ounce can apple pie filling
Make the Crumb Topping
- In a small mixing bowl, add the crumble topping ingredients and combine well.¾ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup old-fashioned oats, ½ cup packed dark brown sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Evenly sprinkle the prepared topping over the apple pie filling.
- Bake the cake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
Prepare the Glaze (optional)
- Whisk glaze ingredients in a small bowl until smooth, adjusting with a bit more milk or powdered sugar for the desired consistency. Drizzle over cake before it cools completely.½ cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons milk, 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
To Serve
- Cut the cake into squares and serve warm.