This easy apple cake is a moist, simple cake full of warm cinnamon spice and loaded with fresh apples! Drizzled with a buttery caramel sauce, it’s one of the best autumn treats!
I love seasonal apple desserts. From apple dump cake and apple pie cupcakes and a classic brown bag apple pie, my family can’t get enough!
Table of Contents
Best Fresh Apple Cake
Warm, fragrant and full of juicy, tender apple chunks, this easy apple cake recipe is one of my favorite seasonal treats to make with freshly picked apples! Topped with a brown sugar glaze while warm, it has the best caramel apple taste.
This cake has fall written over it and is just one way I love to pair apples with buttery caramel sauce. Try these apple cider caramels, my caramel apple monkey bread or these caramel apple pie bars , too!
Why You Need to Bake This Cake
- Moist and tender: This apple cake has a soft, moist crumb like my pumpkin bundt cake which is another favorite for the season!
- Juicy apple pieces: Fresh apple chunks add the best soft, sweet baked apple taste.
- Warm fall flavors: Spiced with all the flavors you love my Dutch apple pie but with less time and effort!
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- All-purpose flour: Learn how to measure flour accurately so you don’t end up packing your measuring cup too full!
- Sugars: Granulated and brown sugar add sweet taste and moisture.
- Baking soda: A leavening agent to add lift and rise.
- Warm spices: Ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg add fragrant warm taste. You could use apple pie spice instead.
- Sea salt: Enhances the flavors in the cake.
- Vegetable oil: Gives the cake a tender crumb.
- Egg: You will need one large egg and one egg yolk.
- Vanilla extract: Adds another layer of flavor.
- Apples: I prefer Granny Smith apples as their tart flavor compliments the sweet apple cake.
- Caramel glaze: Salted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, heavy cream and vanilla.
How to Make Apple Cake
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to remove any lumps. In stand mixer, cream oil, sugar, and brown sugar on a low speed. Add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Combine wet ingredients with the dry on low speed until just combined.
Gently fold in the peeled and finely chopped apples into the mixture. Pour cake batter into prepared 8-inch baking dish and spread out into an even layer. Bake 45 minutes at 325°F, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring butter, sugar, brown sugar, and cream to a boil. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon 1 minute, or until the sugars have melted down. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Add glaze to the warm cake and serve immediately.
Easy Apple Tips and Variations
- Dairy free: As is this cake is dairy free! To make the glaze dairy free just use a vegan butter and heavy cream.
- Line baking pan: Lining your cake pan with parchment paper makes it so easy for removing it from the pan!
- Nuts: Add a 1/2 cup of pecans or walnuts to the batter with the apples.
- Sliced apples: Classic apple cakes are made with finely diced apples. If that is too chunky for you, try thinly slicing them with a mandoline.
- No peel: I love to use peeled apples, but you don’t mind the texture, skip peeling your apples.
- Use another fruit: Pears are another great fall fruit that this cake would work with!
Serving Suggestions
While I love the sweet buttery brown sugar glaze as it adds a delicious caramel apple cake taste, you could enjoy the cake plain with just a dusting of confectioners sugar if preferred.
Other topping suggestions include:
- Try a simple powdered sugar glaze or maple glaze.
- Caramel cream cheese frosting or cinnamon buttercream would be two indulgent options to frost the cake with after it has cooled.
- Make a simple cinnamon sugar topping with cinnamon, sugar and butter. Spread on the apple cake before baking.
- Top a slice of warm apple cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!
More apple recipes that are perfect for fall include cinnamon apple muffins, apple nachos and apple turnovers!
More Apple Recipes
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Easy Apple Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 8×8-inch baking dish
Ingredients
Cake
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 Granny Smith apples , peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
Glaze
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- dash of vanilla
For serving: Vanilla ice cream
Instructions
Cake
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray an 8×8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or line in parchment paper.
- Dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Wet ingredients. In a large bowl mix 2/3 cup oil and 3/4 cup granulated and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Mix in 1 egg and 1 egg yolk at a time with a hand mixer. Then add 1 teaspoon vanilla and and mix until the batter is smooth. Slowly mix into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Fold in apples. Gently fold in 2 peeled and chopped apples. Pour the batter into the baking dish and spread evenly.
- Bake. Bake 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Glaze
- Caramel glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring 2 Tablespoons butter, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 2 Tablespoon brown sugar, and 2 Tablespoons cream to a boil. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon 1 minute, or until the sugars have melted down. Remove from heat and stir in dash of vanilla and then immediately pour evenly over the warm cake.
- Serve. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
Instead of an 8-inch square baking dish, you could use a 9×2 inch deep dish pie plate, 9×5 inch loaf pan or 2 8-inch pie plate. A smaller 8-cup bundt pan work.
If you double the ingredients you could try a 9×13 inch pan or tube pan. Baking time may vary if you use a different sized pan!
Your buttery caramel glaze may thicken as it sits. Just warm it up on the stove and it will thin as it gets warm then add drizzle of caramel sauce as directed.
While tart apples, like Granny Smith, are often used for baking you can use a mix of tart and sweet apples like honey crisp, pink lady or fuji if preferred!
After the cake has cooled, store at room temperature for up to 2 days or for longer storage place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days place.
It’s best to freeze this apple cake without the glaze. After step 5, cool completely, cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap or foil and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature and then add glaze.
Categorized as: American, Cake + Cupcakes, Desserts, Fruit Desserts, Nut-Free, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
This apple cake is such a warm and comforting dessert!! It’s so easy to make too and tastes incredible!
This cake leaves your house smelling so good!! It’s so moist, gooey, & delicious!!
I made this cake and it’s wonderful! Love your recipes and this is one of the best that I’ve tried.