Moist Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cake

This simple, healthy-ish chocolate chip applesauce snack cake is tender, light, incredibly moist, and utterly delicious!

In our bustling lives, the concept of a “snack cake” often feels like a clever culinary invention – a delightful justification to enjoy a slice of cake at any hour of the day. And frankly, we have no qualms with that! Whether it’s a mid-afternoon pick-me-up or a wholesome dessert, a good cake fits many moments.

However, when we’re serving cake to ourselves and our energetic little ones, especially outside of traditional dessert times, we want it to be satisfying without being overly indulgent. It needs to curb those growing tummies’ cravings while still leaving ample room for dinner. That’s precisely where this incredible applesauce snack cake comes into its own.

The Perfect Balance: Sweet, Satisfying & Wholesome

This chocolate chip applesauce snack cake strikes a harmonious balance. It’s sweet and utterly “treatsy” enough to feel like a true cake, thanks to the delightful addition of chocolate chips. Yet, it’s thoughtfully crafted with lower sugar and oil content, making it an ideal snack that you can feel good about. We truly believe we’ve stumbled upon the best of both worlds with this recipe – a guilt-free pleasure that doesn’t compromise on flavor or texture.

One of the many reasons this recipe has become a staple in our household is its incredible ease. This light and fluffy cake comes together in mere minutes, making it a perfect baking project for kids or a quick fix for unexpected cravings. We make it all the time, and it certainly helps that we’re never short on applesauce! (Confession: my husband works for an applesauce company, so we genuinely have an abundance. Come visit, and you might leave with a pouch or two!)

Why Applesauce is Your Secret Baking Ingredient

Applesauce is a magical ingredient in baking, especially for creating healthier alternatives without sacrificing taste or texture. In this snack cake, it plays a crucial role, contributing natural sweetness, incredible moisture, and allowing us to significantly reduce the amount of added oils and sugars. It results in a cake that is wonderfully tender and never dry, offering a subtle fruity note that complements the chocolate chips beautifully. Opting for no-sugar-added applesauce further enhances its healthy appeal.

Embrace the Goodness of Whole Grains

For those looking to boost the nutritional profile, this recipe is remarkably versatile with whole wheat flour. It performs beautifully as a substitute for all-purpose flour, especially if you’ve grown to appreciate the distinct taste and texture that whole grains bring to baked goods. If you’re new to whole wheat baking, starting with a softer variety like white whole wheat flour is highly recommended. It offers the nutritional benefits of whole grains with a milder flavor and finer texture compared to hard red wheat, which can sometimes result in a denser, coarser crumb. You can even try a 50/50 blend of whole wheat and all-purpose flour to ease into it. Either way, the results are scrumptious!

A Treat for Any Time of Day

This tasty cake is delicious whether served warm or at room temperature. In my professional snack cake opinion, it may even improve by the next day as the flavors meld and deepen. The truly glorious news? If you’re feeling a little extra indulgent and decide to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of frozen yogurt to a warm slice straight from the oven, no one would ever suspect it’s on the healthier end of the cake spectrum. The gooey, melty chocolate combined with the warm cake is pure bliss.

I can personally attest to this cake’s power to save the day. At least twice in the last month, it rescued me when guests showed up unannounced, and I had absolutely no dessert within a 100-yard radius to offer them (stale cookies and plain vanilla ice cream simply don’t count in such emergencies!). With just forty minutes or less of pleasant chatter, this cake was mixed, baked, and served, averting potential disappointment and earning rave reviews. Phew! Applesauce snack cake, you are truly a lifesaver.

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Chocolate Chip Applesauce Snack Cake

Yield:

15
Pieces (9X13-inch pan)

Prep Time:

15 minutes
mins

Cook Time:

30 minutes
mins

Total Time:

45 minutes
mins

4.50 stars (32 ratings)

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Ingredients

• 2 cups
  (454 g)
  no-sugar added applesauce
• 3 tablespoons
  melted coconut oil or butter
• 2
  large eggs
• 1 teaspoon
  vanilla extract
• ½ cup
  (106 g)
  granulated sugar
• ½ cup
  (106 g)
  lightly packed brown sugar
• 2 cups
  (284 g)
  all-purpose flour or whole wheat (see note)
• 1 ½ teaspoons
  baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon
  salt
• ½ teaspoon
  ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon
  ground nutmeg
• ½ cup
  (85 g)
  chocolate chips

Optional Topping:

• 2 tablespoons
  lightly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup
  (85 g)
  chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan (if using a glass pan, preheat to 325 degrees F / 160 C).
• In a large bowl, whisk together the applesauce, melted coconut oil (or butter), eggs, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined.
• Add the flour (all-purpose or whole wheat), baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and chocolate chips. Mixing the chocolate chips with the dry ingredients helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake while baking. Stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
• Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. If you’re using the optional topping, sprinkle the additional brown sugar and chocolate chips evenly across the top of the batter.
• Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until the top springs back lightly to the touch when gently pressed, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. A tiny bit of melted chocolate on the toothpick is perfectly fine and often desirable!
• Allow the cake to cool slightly before serving. This delightful cake keeps well for several days when covered tightly and stored at room temperature.

Notes

Whole Wheat Flour: This recipe is incredibly adaptable and works wonderfully with whole wheat flour. For the best texture and flavor, we highly recommend using soft or hard white wheat flour. Hard red wheat will give the cake a denser and coarser texture, which some may prefer. We’ve successfully made this cake using both a 50% whole wheat/50% all-purpose flour mix and also entirely with 100% white whole wheat flour. It’s delicious either way, especially if you are accustomed to and enjoy the unique taste and texture that whole wheat brings to your baked treats. Experiment to find your preferred blend!

Optional Topping: As the ingredient list suggests, the topping is completely optional, but we highly recommend it! It adds a fantastic crunchy texture to the top of the cake, a lovely caramelized note from the brown sugar, and of course, a delightful extra layer of chocolate. It elevates the simple snack cake to something truly special.

Storage Tips: To keep your applesauce snack cake fresh and moist, store it tightly covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate it for up to a week. This cake also freezes beautifully for up to 2-3 months. Wrap individual slices or the whole cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil, and place in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw at room temperature or gently warm in the microwave.

Flavor Variations: While chocolate chips are a classic choice, feel free to get creative! You can swap them for white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or a mix. A sprinkle of chopped walnuts or pecans can add a lovely crunch. For an even spicier kick, consider adding a pinch of ground ginger or allspice to the batter alongside the cinnamon and nutmeg. You can also drizzle a simple vanilla glaze or a cream cheese frosting over the cooled cake for an extra touch of decadence.

Author:
Mel

Course:
Snack, Dessert

Cuisine:
American

Method:
Bake

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Serving: 1 Piece

,

Calories: 207kcal

,

Carbohydrates: 37g

,

Protein: 3g

,

Fat: 6g

,

Saturated Fat: 4g

,

Cholesterol: 24mg

,

Sodium: 240mg

,

Fiber: 1g

,

Sugar: 23g

Recommended Products

9X13-inch Metal Baking Pan

Mixing Bowl

Silicone Spatula

Recipe Source: This delightful Chocolate Chip Applesauce Snack Cake recipe was adapted and inspired from a Taste of Home recipe, with further inspiration from Chef-in-Training, after a friend, Heather, first clued us into its incredible yumminess. We’ve made several adjustments to enhance its healthy-ish appeal, including reducing the butter/oil and sugar content, omitting cloves and cocoa from the batter to let the applesauce shine, and adjusting the topping for a lighter, yet equally delicious, finish.