This Apple Spice Cake is soft and moist with tender cinnamon apples throughout and plenty of warm fall flavor. The apples are cooked in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon before being folded into the batter and spooned over the top, then the cake is finished with a simple vanilla glaze.
Apple Spice Cake at a Glance
- 🍎 Main Ingredients: Fresh apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, sour cream
- ⏱️ Time: Prep: 20 minutes | Bake: 45-55 minutes | Cool/Set: 30 minutes
- 🍴 Yield: 9-12 slices
- 🍂 Flavor: Buttery apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, warm spice, vanilla
- 🥛 Topping: Vanilla glaze
- 🧊 Make Ahead: Yes; the apple and spice flavors are even more pronounced the next day
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Sour cream creates a tender crumb, while cinnamon and nutmeg complement the apples without overpowering them. Baked in a 9x9-inch pan, this easy spiced apple cake is perfect for fall gatherings, holiday dinners, or whenever you have fresh apples to use.
If you love cozy apple desserts like my grandma's apple crumble and apple pie muffins, you'll love this one, too. Serve it with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of my homemade apple syrup for an extra-special fall dessert.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Apples in Every Bite: Three cups of cinnamon apples are divided between the batter and the top for plenty of fruit throughout.
- Soft and Moist: Sour cream and the apple syrup help create a tender, moist crumb.
- Easy Square Cake: Everything bakes in one 9x9-inch pan with no layers or complicated decorating.
How We Tested This Recipe
- Apple Variety: Firm apples worked best because they go through both stovetop cooking and baking. Granny Smith held its shape the most, while Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Pink Lady softened more but still remained distinct. Softer apples broke down too much after the double cooking.
- Apple Size: We found ¼-½-inch pieces gave us distinct apple in every bite without making the cake difficult to slice. Smaller pieces disappeared into the crumb, while larger chunks stayed too firm and created messy slices.
- Precooking: Six to eight minutes is a range rather than a target. The apples are ready when they're just beginning to soften and develop a syrupy coating. Firmer apples may be ready closer to 6 minutes; 8 minutes is the maximum since they'll continue cooking in the oven.
- Apple Distribution: Folding about two-thirds of the apples into the batter and reserving one-third for the top gave us the best balance. More inside made the center heavier and wetter, while too many on top created a wet layer that didn't integrate as well with the cake.
- Keep the Apple Syrup: We preferred using the 2-4 tablespoons of buttery brown sugar syrup created while cooking the apples. It added moisture and concentrated apple-cinnamon flavor; draining it produced a slightly drier, less flavorful cake.
- Glaze While Warm: Cooling the cake for about 20 minutes before glazing gave us the best finish. The cake was still warm enough for some glaze to settle into the top while enough remained visible on the surface.
Ingredients
You only need familiar baking ingredients and plenty of fresh apples to make this apple spice cake recipe. Cooking the apples before adding them to the cake gives them a buttery brown sugar-cinnamon flavor while allowing them to remain distinct in the finished cake.
Cinnamon Apples
- Apples: Provide fresh apple flavor and tender pieces throughout the cake.
- Butter: Adds richness as the apples cook.
- Brown Sugar: Sweetens the apples and creates the syrupy coating.
- Cinnamon: Adds warm cinnamon flavor.
- Vanilla: Rounds out the cooked apple mixture.
Apple Cake
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Give the cake lift.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
- Cinnamon & Nutmeg: Cinnamon is the dominant spice, while a small amount of nutmeg adds background warmth without competing with the apples.
- Melted Butter: Adds richness and buttery flavor.
- Brown & Granulated Sugars: Sweeten the cake while brown sugar adds deeper caramel notes.
- Eggs: Provide structure and richness.
- Vanilla Extract: Complements the apples and spices.
- Sour Cream: Adds moisture and tenderness for a soft, slightly dense crumb.
- Whole Milk: Adds the additional moisture needed for the batter.
Brown Sugar Topping
- Brown Sugar & Cinnamon: Add a final layer of sweetness and warm spice over the apples.
Vanilla Glaze
- Powdered Sugar, Milk & Vanilla: Combine to make a simple sweet glaze for finishing the cake.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Add Nuts: Fold chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter for extra texture.
- Add More Spice: Add a small amount of ginger, cloves, or allspice if you prefer a more heavily spiced cake.
- Skip the Glaze: Dust the completely cooled cake with powdered sugar instead.
How to Make Apple Spice Cake
This cake comes together in four main steps: cook the cinnamon apples, make the batter, assemble and bake the cake, then finish it with vanilla glaze. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9x9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang.
Step 1: Cook the Cinnamon Apples. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until the apples begin to soften and develop a syrupy coating. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and let cool slightly.
Step 2: Make the Cake Batter. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined. Add the eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and milk and whisk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and gently stir with a spatula just until combined.
Step 3: Add the Apples and Bake. Fold about two-thirds of the cinnamon apples into the batter along with about half of the syrupy juices from the skillet.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and spoon the remaining apples and syrup over the top. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon for the topping and sprinkle evenly over the cake.
Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for about 20 minutes.
Step 4: Glaze and Serve. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add a little more milk as needed until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle.
Drizzle generously over the slightly warm cake. Let the glaze set for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy apple pie bars and apple pie bites.
Expert Tips
- Don't Overmix: Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined to keep the cake soft and tender.
- Check the Center: Start checking around 45 minutes, but don't rely on the clock alone. In our testing, the center was still slightly underdone at 45 minutes and fully set closer to 55 minutes. Look for a set center and a toothpick with no wet batter.
- Adjust the Glaze: Add a little more milk for a thinner glaze that settles into the top or use less for a thicker, more visible drizzle.
Storage Directions
Room Temperature: Store the cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. We found the apple and spice flavors became even more pronounced by the second day as they melded into the crumb.
Refrigerator: Refrigerate tightly covered or in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Refrigeration firms the crumb and apples, so let slices return to room temperature before serving for a softer texture.
Reheat: Microwave individual refrigerated slices for about 10-15 seconds for a softer, more freshly baked texture.
Make Ahead: This cake is an excellent make-ahead dessert and can be baked a day before serving.
Serving Suggestions
- Ice Cream: Serve slightly warm with vanilla, caramel, or butter pecan ice cream.
- Whipped Cream: Add a spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream for a simple finish.
- Coffee or Tea: Pair a slice with hot coffee, chai, or tea for an afternoon fall dessert.
- Fall Dessert Spread: Serve alongside pumpkin, pecan, or other apple desserts for Thanksgiving and autumn gatherings.
More Apple Cake Recipes
If you love this apple spice cake, try more of our easy apple desserts for cozy fall baking, holidays, and family gatherings.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Spiced Apple Cake
Ingredients
Cinnamon Apples
- 3 cups peeled and diced apples about 2-3 large apples
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Apple Cake
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup whole milk
Brown Sugar Topping
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the cinnamon apples
- Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat and allow it to melt.
- Add the diced apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook for about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften and the sugar creates a syrupy coating.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the cake batter.
For the apple cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease an 9x9 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined.
- Add the eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and milk. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir with a spatula just until combined.
- Fold about two-thirds of the cinnamon apples into the cake batter, including some of the juices from the pan.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Spoon the remaining apples and juices evenly over the top.
Brown Sugar Topping
- In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons brown sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the cake.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before adding the glaze.
For the vanilla glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add a little more milk as needed until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle.
- Drizzle the glaze generously over the slightly warm cake. Let the glaze set for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Apples: Use firm apples and cut them into ¼-½-inch pieces so they remain distinct without interfering with slicing.
- Precooking: Cook the apples only until they begin to soften; 8 minutes is the maximum rather than the target.
- Apple Syrup: Don't discard the syrupy juices from the skillet. Divide them between the batter and topping with the apples.
- Mixing: Stir the batter only until the dry ingredients disappear to keep the crumb tender.
- Doneness: Begin checking at 45 minutes and use the center and toothpick test rather than relying solely on time.
- Glazing: Cool for about 20 minutes before glazing so some glaze settles into the warm surface while the rest remains visible.
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