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This one-bowl apple yogurt cake is deceptively simple. The secret is to use just the right balance of ingredients and spices, like Greek yogurt, applesauce, and brown butter. Every bite is soft, moist, and full of real apple flavor, and the homemade butterscotch sauce takes it over the top!
Who doesn’t love a bundt cake? This one is a true celebration of all the best fall flavors – apples, brown butter, cozy cinnamon, and homemade butterscotch sauce poured all over the top of the cake.
The apples, applesauce, and yogurt keep it moist and full of flavor, and I find it tastes even better the next day…if you can stand to wait.
It looks fancy, but trust me; anyone can make this cake!
If you love the flavor of butterscotch, this Butterscotch Pudding Pie is one of my all-time favorite recipes!
Ingredients for Yogurt Apple Cake
For the apple yogurt cake – This is a surprisingly simple recipe. You only need one mixing bowl and pretty ordinary ingredients, like applesauce, Greek yogurt, brown sugar, and baking powder.
I do like to add brown butter for that extra nuttiness, but you can substitute oil or regular melted butter.
I always, always recommend using tart apples for baking, like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Cosmic Crisp.
For the butterscotch sauce – Did you know the main difference between caramel sauce and butterscotch sauce is the type of sugar? We’re going to combine brown sugar and butter, then add some heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract for a delicious, glossy, creamy sauce.
How to Make the Best Applesauce Bundt Cake
Make the Yogurt Apple Cake
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 10 cup bundt pan or ring mold by brushing evenly with oil and coating with flour. Tap out any excess flour. Peel and finely dice one large apple. Brown the butter and set it to the side to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and whisk just until combined.
Fold in the diced apple and scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Mine usually take a solid hour.
Remove cake from the oven and cool for at least half an hour before removing from the pan. Set on a wire rack to cool completely. Once the cake is cool, start preparing the butterscotch sauce.
Make the Butterscotch Sauce
In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, warm brown sugar for about 4-5 minutes. The goal isn’t to melt the sugar; simply to warm it up.
Add the butter and stir to combine. The mixture will begin to bubble up at this time, which is good. We want to dissolve the sugar crystals and this process will help do that. Continue cooking for about 5-8 minutes.
Add half of the heavy cream and stir to combine. The mixture will begin to spit and bubble quickly, so be aware.
Once the first half of the cream is stirred in, add the remaining cream and let the mixture continue cooking for 5-10 minutes.
Note: You aren’t cooking to thicken the sauce, simply to remove any sugar crystals.
The butterscotch will still be runny at this point and should have a caramel-like color. Focus more on what it looks like, not following specific times.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and salt. Allow the sauce to cool until it reaches room temperature and visibly thickens.
Pour the butterscotch over the cake, allowing it to spill down the sides. Slice and serve.
Storing Suggestions
Once cooled, this cake needs to be stored in the refrigerator, ideally covered. The butterscotch will firm up when cold but soften when left on the counter before serving.
The cake will keep well for 3-4 days.
Tips & Variations
- Use the right size pan. This cake fits just right in a 10-cup pan. After testing several other bundt pans, I ended up buying this exact pan to make sure the cake came out nice and smooth.
- Replace the vinegar. Instead of apple cider vinegar, you can use apple cider or even lemon juice. I like to add a little acid to balance the richness of the brown sugar.
More Fall Baking Recipes
- Apple Crumble Scones
- Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp
- Dairy-Free Cinnamon Apple Cake
- Brown Sugar Apple Blondies
- Apple Cider Crinkle Cookies
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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Brown Butter Applesauce Yogurt Cake with Butterscotch Sauce
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 10-cup bundt pan
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, or apple cider
- 2 Tbs cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup browned butter, cooled slightly
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbs baking powder
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 large apple, peeled and finely diced
For the butterscotch sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 Tbs butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Yogurt Apple Bundt Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 10 cup bundt pan or ring mold by brushing evenly with oil and coating with flour. Tap out any excess flour.
- In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk thoroughly.2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup applesauce, 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 Tbs cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp allspice, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup browned butter, 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and whisk just until combined.1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1 Tbs baking powder, 3 cups all purpose flour
- Fold in the diced apple and scrape into the prepared bundt pan.1 large apple
- Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Mine usually take a solid hour.
- Remove cake from the oven and cool for at least half an hour before removing from the pan. Once the cake is cool, start preparing the butterscotch sauce.
Make the Butterscotch Sauce
- In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, warm brown sugar for about 4-5 minutes. The goal isn't to melt the sugar; simply to warm it up.1/3 cup brown sugar
- Add the butter and stir to combine. The mixture will begin to bubble up at this time, which is good. We want to dissolve the sugar crystals and this process will help do that. Continue cooking for about 5-8 minutes.3 Tbs butter
- Add half of the heavy cream and stir to combine. The mixture will begin to spit and bubble quickly, so be aware. Once the cream is stirred in, add the remaining cream and let the mixture continue cooking for 5-10 minutes. You aren't cooking to thicken the sauce, simply to remove any sugar crystals. The butterscotch will still be runny at this point and should have a caramel-like color. Focus more on what it looks like, not following specific times.1/2 cup heavy cream
- Remove the butterscotch sauce from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and salt. Allow the sauce to cool until it reaches room temperature and visibly thickens.Pinch kosher salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pour the butterscotch over the cake, allowing it to spill down the sides. Slice and serve!
Nutrition
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🍂🍪 Want more cozy fall recipes?
My brand new recipe ebook, The Cozy Season Bakebook, has 20 seasonal bakes that taste like a love letter to fall!
You can expect all the most iconic fall flavors, like cinnamon apple, pumpkin spice, maple, pecans, and more.
It’s also intentionally low-tech and beginner-friendly, so anyone can bake along!
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