This recipe is the epitome of “special” because this recipe is my great-grandmother’s very own. She made this cake every Christmas for more than three decades! Same flavors. Same method. Same expectation that it would sit on the counter, sliced into slowly, eaten with coffee, and somehow taste even better the next day. It was never fancy, never frosted for show, and never rewritten to be modern. It was made because it was Christmas, and this was THE Christmas cake she was known for.
What makes this cake special is not one standout ingredient, but the way everything works together. Truly, this is a trust the process kind of cake, and you will likely feel a little trepidatious when you see all the ingredients that do not look like they would work together but then somehow absolutely do. Applesauce keeps it deeply moist. Strawberry jam adds sweetness and color without overpowering the spices. Crushed pineapple sounds strange until you taste it, then it just makes sense. Raisins and pecans give it weight and texture. The spices are warm but not aggressive. This is not a flashy holiday dessert but it is steady and comforting.
The frosting is just as old-fashioned as the cake recipe, and per my Granny (her daughter) it’s the very best part. She’s not wrong, they do go together very very well and it’s worth adding the frosting to the cake! You spread it while it’s warm and bubbly out of the pan, it sets as it cools, and that’s it. No swoops, no piping, no second chances. Which honestly feels very on brand for a recipe that has lasted this long.
If you want to halve the original recipe (below!) to fit a smaller Bundt pan, which makes it much more manageable for modern kitchens, here’s what I recommend. The method stays the same, and the flavor stays true. It still bakes low and slow, just not for nearly as long – I recommend checking it around the 55 minute mark and when it feels solid to the touch and your toothpick comes out clean, its ready to be pulled!
If you’re looking for a dessert that feels tied to tradition without being precious about it, this is a good one to keep. It doesn’t need decorating. It doesn’t need explaining. It just needs to be made, sliced, and shared the way it always has been.
If you end up baking it for Christmas, I hope it becomes one of those quiet recipes that sticks around like it has for so long in my family. And I hope you love it just as much as we do. <3
Mildred’s Famous Christmas Applesauce Jam Cake
Equipment
- 6-cup Bundt pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Fine mesh sieve (optional, for dry ingredients)
- Medium saucepan (for frosting)
- Wooden spoon or heat-safe spatula
- Toothpick or cake tester
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup shortening or plant-based shortening, Or Butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup strawberry jam
- 1 ½ cups applesauce
- 1 cup crushed pineapple drained
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 cups seeded raisins
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 3 eggs
Brown Sugar Frosting:
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup milk or plant-based milk
- 1 tablespoon margarine or butter
- 1 tablespoon white syrup like light corn syrup or golden syrup (or swap for Maple Syrup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract add after removing from heat
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a Bundt pan or large angel food pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light.
- Add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the applesauce, strawberry jam, and crushed pineapple until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, allspice, and cinnamon.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet batter, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in raisins and pecans.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
Brown Sugar Frosting:
- In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, white sugar, milk, margarine, and syrup.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the mixture reaches soft-ball stage (234–240°F) or forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Beat with a wooden spoon until thickened and spreadable.
- Immediately pour or spread over the cooled cake. The frosting will harden quickly.
Notes
Swap butter for shortening 1 for 1 should you choose. Swap maple syrup for white syrup 1 for 1 as well, should you choose.
If the frosting sets before you spread it, add a teaspoon of warm milk and continue beating.
Cake keeps beautifully for days and tastes even better on Day 2! Perfect with coffee, or as a Christmas morning treat.