Why did my applesauce cake turn out so bad?

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
It was singed around the edges and doughy (almost uncooked) in the center.

This is the recipe:

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup applesauce

2 cups baking mix
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease and flour a 8x8 inch cake dish.
In a large bowl, cream together the melted butter, sugar, molasses and applesauce.
In another bowl combine baking mix, baking soda and cinnamon.
Fold dry mixture into the applesauce mixture until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared dish. Bake 50 minutes.
 
Can happen if baked on a lower rack, the bottom overcooks and center is underdone, or oven running hot, or oven still preheating when product is put in. Kinda looks like it's over mixed, imo, but that only goes to the crumb and how the center cooked, not the overdone bottom.
 
debodun said:
This is the ingredient panel:
View attachment 494207
Click to expand...
Thatā€™s a lot of ingredients. I think you would have been better off using enriched flour with baked powder and baking soda. Bisquick is good for making biscuits and thatā€™s about it. I could be wrong.

Applesauce cake
  • applesauce
  • ā–¢ 1/2 cup water
  • ā–¢ 3 tbsp oil or additional applesauce
  • ā–¢ 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ā–¢ 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • ā–¢ 1 1/2 cups flour (white, spelt, or oat)
  • ā–¢ 1/3 cup sugar
  • ā–¢ 3/4 tsp salt
  • ā–¢ 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • ā–¢ 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • ā–¢ 1/4 tsp cinnamon and optional 1/4 tsp allspice
  • ā–¢ optional 1/2 cup raisins, chopped walnuts, or shredded coconut

Instructions​

  • To make homemade applesauce cake, first preheat the oven to 350 F. Whisk liquid ingredients, then add all remaining ingredients to form a batter. Smooth into a greased or lined 8-inch pan. Bake 18 minutes on the oven's center rack. Let cool, then frost as desired. The cake will taste even sweeter the next day!
 
Last edited:
Where did you get the recipe? šŸ¤”

Was the Bisquick fresh?šŸ¤”

Maybe the lack of eggs. šŸ¤”

Too much fat. šŸ¤”

It is a bit different than the few that I looked at online.

Here is one example.

Easy Bisquick Molasses Applesauce Cake Recipe
  • Prep time: 10 mins
  • Bake time: 35-40 mins
  • Pan: 9-inch square (greased)
Ingredients:
  • 2 cups Bisquick
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • Optional: 1/2 cup raisins or walnuts
 
Last edited:
PeppermintPatty said:
The baking mix is the only uncertain item.
Iā€™d say thatā€™s the main source of your problem.
Click to expand...

First thing that I thought, that Bisquick. And baking soda too seems to be a bit much. The first 4 ingredients and their amounts would seem to make the cake very moist to me. Could it be as done as it's going to get but too moist for your liking? It doesn't look bad in the pics.
 
PeppermintPatty said:
Bisquick is good for making biscuits and thatā€™s about it. I could be wrong.
Click to expand...
I donā€™t keep a well stocked pantry anymore and have had good results using pouches of baking mix from the $tore when baking, coffee cake, fruit crumbles and cobblers, biscuits, pancakes, etcā€¦

Itā€™s definitely not the same as starting completely from scratch but itā€™s a good compromise for $1.50/pouch.
shopping
 
Aunt Bea said:
I donā€™t keep a well stocked pantry anymore and have had good results using pouches of baking mix from the $tore when baking, coffee cake, fruit crumbles and cobblers, biscuits, pancakes, etcā€¦

Itā€™s definitely not the same as starting completely from scratch but itā€™s a good compromise for $1.50/pouch.
shopping
Click to expand...
Thanks. Iā€™m certainly open to suggestions.
 
DailyArtsyCrafter said:
First thing that I thought, that Bisquick. And baking soda too seems to be a bit much. The first 4 ingredients and their amounts would seem to make the cake very moist to me. Could it be as done as it's going to get but too moist for your liking? It doesn't look bad in the pics.
Click to expand...
Maybe adding baking soda plus what's already in the Bisquick could have had something to do with it.
 
Sunkist said:
Maybe adding baking soda plus what's already in the Bisquick could have had something to do with it.
Click to expand...

Not saying that this has happened here, but how disappointing to find a prized recipe where there is a mistake in one or more of the ingredients items or amounts. Or mistakes in the cooking instructions degrees or timing. Even in what to mix together when. Following it wastes ingredients and time.

I had that happen to me once with a zucchini bread recipe. It was photocopied and something had been cut off, I can't remember what but, of course, I didn't realize that at first.
 
I wonder if you put too much sugar in it. Sugar tends to brown quickly and make breads lumpy and not rise as well (from my experience). Also, like someone else mentioned, add eggs. You put too much liquid in the mix without something to hold it all together, like eggs

Also, you might consider replacing apple sauce with real apples. Just a thought. Experiment.
 
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