Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3 3/4 cups applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for dusting

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch rimmed baking sheet or baking pan and line with parchment paper.
  • Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Mix flour and baking powder together in a bowl. Sift gradually into butter mixture, mixing well.
  • Transfer 6 to 8 heaping tablespoons of the cake batter, about 1 cup, to a separate bowl. Mix in milk gradually until batter is creamy and the consistency of pancake batter.
  • Spread thick cake batter into the prepared baking pan and level out with the back of a spoon. Mix applesauce and cinnamon together and spread on top in an even layer. Top with the thin cake batter.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until the top of the cake is a deep golden brown, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar before cutting into squares.