On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, it’s traditional to eat honey cake and dip apples in honey, symbolizing the hope for a sweet new year. Baking this honey cake recipe is a tradition I began when my children were little. I make many loaves of Honey Applesauce Cake every year and share them with my family and friends.
Honey Applesauce Cake tastes like honey dipped apples. I adapted a recipe for applesauce bread by substituting honey for some of the granulated sugar.
The result is a moist, sweet cake that makes a great snack cake or dessert. The recipe makes two large loaves. Eat one and freeze the other, or give it away and sweeten someone’s day!
Though I have been making and gifting Honey Applesauce Cake for years, until this week I never stopped to think of what a great care package treat it is. I was sealing up six little loaves in a Monday Box for my son (one for him and the others for his apartment mates) when I realized that Honey Applesauce Cakes are especially well suited for care packages.
The loaves stay fresh for up to a week and are sturdy enough to travel well. They are best mailed during cool weather months due to the high moisture content of the cake.
ADDITIONAL SWEET HONEY RECIPES
For those of you who celebrate Rosh Hashanah, I wish you l’shana tova, a happy New Year. I wish everyone a year of health, happiness, and peace.
YOU MAY NEED THESE BAKING TOOLS
HONEY CAKE RECIPE
Honey and applesauce make this loaf cake moist and delicious. It is an ideal little loaf for gifting and care packages too!
Honey Applesauce Cake
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup honey
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 ˚F. Lightly spray baking pans with cooking oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and cinnamon.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter, sugar, and honey.
- Add eggs. Beat until combined.
- Mix in applesauce.
- Gradually add flour mixture and beat just until incorporated.
- Pour evenly into pans (approximately 1 cup per mini pan or three cups per loaf pan). Mini loaf pans can be placed in the oven on a cookie sheet for more even baking and easy removal.
- Bake loaf pans for 35-45 minutes and mini pans for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- If removing the cakes from the pans, cool for 10 minutes in the pans before removing the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once completely cool, cakes should be wrapped in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature (or in the refrigerator) for 5-7 days
Notes
- This recipe makes 2 bread pan loaves or 6 (3” x 5”) mini loaves.
- The loaves stay fresh for up to a week and are sturdy enough to travel well. They are best mailed during cool weather months due to the high moisture content of the cake.
Nutrition
Monday Box readers who enjoyed Honey Applesauce Cake also enjoyed these goodies! Click on the photo to get the recipe.
Dani L. says
Hello,
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. I cannot wait to try it. I was wondering if you think it would be possible to substitute the flour for almond flour? Would it be the same amount? Thank you!
Wendy Sondov says
Hi Dani. Though I have never tried substituting almond flour instead of wheat flour, I seriously doubt it would work. I don’t think it would hold together. Are you looking for gluten free? I have made this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free flour. The result is slightly chewier than the original, but still pretty good.
Catherine Keeling says
Is it possible to have UK measures please?
Wendy Sondov says
Hi, Catherine. I hope this conversion table will help. https://www.sweet2eatbaking.com/uk-us-conversion/
Kristin T says
Oh my goodness!!! I just happened to find this site today on pinterest while searching recipes, and thankful I did! I decided to make these, and also added a vanilla glaze to the tops. Absolutely delicious both plain and with glaze. I took a plate full to our local diner (I’m always taking them treats) and some to my BFF, plus posted a pic to social media. Sad to say they are almost gone already, mere hours later. This recipe is definitely a keeper! I signed up for your newsletter and can’t wait for more delicious recipes to try!!!
Wendy Sondov says
Hi Kristin! I’m so glad you found The Monday Box and enjoyed the cake! This particular recipe is a family favorite that I’ve been making repeatedly over the years. Thank you for sharing and for signing up for the newsletter! Happy baking!
Barb M says
Can I make muffins rather than a loaf? What about bake time?
Wendy Sondov says
Hi, Barb. You can make this batter in muffin size, mini loaf, or regular loaf. The baking time will of course decrease with the muffins, but I can’t tell you an exact time. My best guess would be about 20 minutes. I would watch them carefully starting at 15 minutes and when the top is golden, start using the toothpick test to check for doneness. Please keep in mind that these will not be light, fluffy muffins. This cake is dense and moist and the cupcakes would be the same. Happy baking.
Marie Miller says
Can I make this in a 9 inch round?
Wendy Sondov says
Hi Marie. I have never made this cake as anything but a loaf (from mini loaves to big loaves) however, there are photos on Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/256142297542947873/ ) of people who have used my recipe to make cakes that are flatter (like in an 8 x8 pan). So I think you probably can make a 9 inch round, but would have to adjust the baking time and keep testing with a toothpick to see when it’s done. This is a dense cake that is lovely on it’s own. I wouldn’t suggest using it as part of a layer cake. I hope this helps! Happy baking!
Josie says
Thank you so much for sharing such an amazing, delicious & easy recipe! Great way to use my homemade apple sauce! The only thing I changed is I used 3/4 cup of white sugar instead of the quantity suggested and they were soooo good! The honey & apple sauce made them sooo moist! Wow amazing! Thank you again!
Wendy Sondov says
Hi, Josie. I am so glad that you are enjoying this cake as much as we do! I really appreciate that you took the time to write your comment and leave a 5 star review! Happy Baking!
Karen says
How much whole wheat flour can I use in ratio to white flour? Whole wheat is more heavier and dense.
Wendy Sondov says
Karen, I have never made this cake with whole wheat flour. It is already a pretty heavy cake with the applesauce and honey. If you must sub some whole wheat flour, I would use something lighter like whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat and only sub 1/2 cup to start. Good luck!
Bonnie says
Thank you! I will!
Bonnie says
Sounds great.Before I begin, wanted to double check that these can be frozen( will wrap it
well) after being baked and cooled.
Please reply ASAP! Ingredients are on my counter as I write this!
Wendy Sondov says
Absolutely can be frozen! I bake them once, freeze and then take out what I need first for Rosh Hashanah and then later for Break Fast. Go for it! Happy baking!
Bonnie says
Thank you Wendy!
Will try to let you know how they tun out.
Also, may I sub parve margarine for the butter?
Wendy Sondov says
I haven’t tried it with margarine, but I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t work and still be delicious with margarine. That is an answer I hope you will come back and let me know! 🙂 L’shana Tova!
Bonnie says
So I made the Honey Applesauce cakes this evening! Easy Peasy! Great step by step directions Wendy! I substituted parve margarine and it tasted great to me! Maybe butter would taste even better( as we all know “Everything is better with butter!” But this will work well for my guests and be better than butter since some are kosher and some are lactose intolerant!
I cut an end piece off one of the loaves and indulged! delicious!
They were cooled,removed from tins,wrapped, and are in the fridge tonight.Tomorrow they will move into the freezer!
Thank you so much for sharing and for your great consulting help!
You have some other terrific recipes and I look forward to trying them…and thank you sooo much for your quick turn around responses! That is something that I have not found to be consistent with some recipe authors on Pinterest!
Have a wonderful Holiday and an enjoyable Fall!
Wendy Sondov says
I am so glad your baking turned out as planned!! Good to know about the margarine if anyone should ask me in the future! Funny story is that I was baking these last night too! I am going to visit my son this weekend and asked if there was anything he particularly wanted in his Rosh Hashanah care package that I am bringing. He asked for mini loaves of this honey cake. One loaf to eat now and a couple to freeze for the holidays 🙂 Wishing you a healthy and sweet New Year! p.s. If you would give this recipe a 5 star rating I would appreciate it!
Angela Perlitz says
Found this recipe the other day and since I had applesauce in the refrigerator, I decided I would try making this. OMG! This is an awesome recipe! After licking the spatula with the ingredients all mixed, I could hardly wait for the loaves to come out of the oven. My husband and I have decided this recipe is “a keeper”! Thanks so much for sharing and I will be making this again and again!
Wendy Sondov says
Hi, Angela! I am so glad you and your husband loved the Honey Applesauce Cake! It is definitely a keeper at my house, too 🙂 Thank you so much for reporting on your experience and giving this recipe 5 stars! Happy baking!
Judy says
Wendy what are the calorie, fat, sugar content in the honey applesauce bread?
Wendy Sondov says
Hi Judy. I am not qualified to give you exact amounts, however, when I input the ingredients into the nutrition calculator at https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076 (which you might find useful for all recipes) the results show that if the loaves are cut into 12 slices, each slice would have 353 calories, 8.8 grams of fat, and 41.9 grams of sugar (honey, granulated sugar, and fructose in applesauce are all sugars). I hope this is helpful. Happy baking!
Janell says
This honey applesauce cake is soooo moist and I know it’s the applesauce and the honey adds the great flavor! I might put golden raisins and walnuts in next time to see how it tastes but it’s wonderful on its own! Thank you, Wendy’s!
Janell says
I made the cake today and made one regular loaf and just two mini loaves as I like bigger loaves. It really is delicious but I get more honey flavor than apple. My homemade applesauce already had sugar so I put just one cup of sugar in. It is very moist and is even great with some butter spread on it!!! Techure is wonderful. I too will give the mini ones to friends. Thanks so much Wendy, my daughter’s name also!
Wendy Sondov says
Thank you, Janell! I am so glad you enjoyed the honey cake! I agree that the flavor is more honey and the applesauce is what adds the great texture and moisture to the loaf. I hope you will give it 5 stars.
Sue cowan says
Recipe says 1/2 cup of butter 1 stick, 1/2 cup is 2 sticks which is it?
Wendy Sondov says
Hi, Sue. Sorry for the confusion. I will try to make the recipe more clear. 1 stick of butter in the US is the same as 1/2 cup. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of butter which is the same as the recipe calling for 1 stick of butter in the US. Happy baking!
Maisy says
Drool! This sounds and looks SO amazing! Can you please send some over to me? 🙂
Happy Thursday!
The Monday Box says
I will be baking up a bunch of mini loaves this weekend for eating, gifting, mailing, and freezing. Yes, they ARE amazing. 🙂 Thanks, Maisy!