Why This Recipe Works

This easy-to-make cake is filled with the flavors of fall: applesauce, apple cider, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Kids will love stirring together the simple batter and sprinkling the top of their cake with a mixture of spices and sugar for a sparkly top! They’ll also need to cut their finished cake into 12 equal pieces before serving, which is a little tricky since they’re starting with a square cake. Encourage kids to plan out their cuts before slicing their cake: They could cut the cake into four smaller squares by cutting a plus sign shape. Then, then can divide each of those smaller squares into three equal pieces. Another option? Cut the cake into three equal columns and then cut each column into four equal pieces.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Make aluminum foil sling for 8-inch square metal baking pan following photos, “Step-by-Step: How to Make an Aluminum Foil Sling,” below. Spray foil lightly with vegetable oil spray.

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

In large bowl, whisk sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined. Transfer 2 tablespoons sugar-spice mixture to small bowl and reserve for sprinkling.

Add applesauce, melted butter, cider, egg, and vanilla to large bowl with sugar-spice mixture and whisk until well combined.

Add flour mixture to applesauce mixture and whisk to combine. Use rubber spatula to scrape batter into greased baking pan and smooth top. Sprinkle reserved sugar-spice mixture evenly over batter.

Place baking pan in oven. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Use oven mitts to remove baking pan from oven and place on cooling rack (ask an adult for help). Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Use foil to carefully lift cake out of baking pan and place on cooling rack. Let cake cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Transfer cake to cutting board and discard foil. Cut into pieces and serve.