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I don’t settle for recipes that just “work” – I refine them until they’re reliable! After adjusting the fat and moisture balance and testing apple size (tip: ¼-inch pieces give the best balance of texture and flavor) I created a cake that’s moist, fluffy, and structurally sound. This is the apple cake you can trust to deliver bakery-quality results at home.
How I Perfected the Apple Cake Recipe
Apple cake seems like it should be straightforward, but with apples adding both moisture and weight, the crumb structure can be tricky to get right. I first started with a recipe that used oil and sour cream – two ingredients I rely on in classic layer cakes for creating incredible moisture. The flavor was delicious, but in apple cake, the extra fat and moisture combined with the apples left the crumb too loose and crumbly.
So I went back to the kitchen and began refining the recipe. I increased the flour for more structure, reduced the oil to cut back on excess fat, and swapped out the sour cream for applesauce. This change gave the cake balance: still moist and tender, but with a tighter crumb that holds together beautifully when sliced. The applesauce also enhanced the apple flavor, making it taste fresh and bright rather than heavy.
I also drew from my testing with both apple bundt cake and apple coffee cake, where I experimented with apple size. Half-inch chunks made the batter too wet in spots, creating pockets that disrupted the crumb. Quarter-inch pieces, on the other hand, stayed distinct but evenly distributed, adding little bites of apple throughout without compromising structure. That became my sweet spot.
The result is a cinnamon-forward apple cake that feels fluffy and moist but never falls apart on the fork. This cake is the product of persistence, trial-and-error, and years of experience developing reliable dessert recipes. It’s approachable for home bakers but tested thoroughly so you can trust it to deliver bakery-worthy results.
Best Apples for Apple Cake
When baking, choose apples that are crisp and sturdy rather than soft or grainy. For the best flavor, combine both tart and sweet varieties.
Braeburn, Jonathan, Pacific Rose, and Granny Smith apples are all great tart options. Jazz, Pink Lady, Fuji, and Honeycrisp apples are all great sweet options.
How to Make Apple Cake
I walk you through my easy apple cake recipe step-by-step, so even a novice baker can make it with success the first time. Get the full recipe with ingredients in the recipe card below. Here is the process:
For the Cake
- Prep oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper if you want to remove the whole cake from the pan.
- Prep the apples. Peel and core the apples. Dice them into ¼ inch chunks, aiming for even pieces to ensure consistent baking throughout the cake. You’ll need about 2.5-3 cups total, which is roughly 285-315 grams. If you prefer larger apple chunks, cut them into ½ inch pieces.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Begin combining wet and dry ingredients. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir just until combined.
- Finish cake batter. Add the remaining dry ingredients along with the diced apples and mix gently until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Transfer batter. Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13-inch pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs
- Cool. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the frosting.
For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream butter and cream cheese. Place room temperature unsalted butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium and beat together for 1-2 minutes, until whipped and fluffy.
- Mix in remaining ingredients. Add in the vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and cinnamon, beat again on low for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until everything is incorporated.
- Adjust as needed. If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk or heavy cream, beat until creamy.
- Frost cake. Spread on top of the cooled cake.
Gluten Free Apple Cake
You can make this cake gluten free easily by swapping the flour. I recommend King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Use it as a one for one substitute for regular flour.
Storing & Freezing Apple Cake
Store fully cooled cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
If you want to freeze this cake, I recommend freezing it before adding the frosting. Wrap fully cooled cake in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then make the frosting and top the cake.
More Recipes Using Fresh Apples:
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Easy Apple Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 ½ cups (420g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (213g) brown sugar
- ¾ cup (149g) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (255g) applesauce, sweetened or unsweetened
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½-3 cups (about 285-315g) diced apples, cut into ¼-inch chunks
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4-5 cups (454-567g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper if you want to remove the whole cake from the pan.
- Peel and core the apples. Dice them into ¼ inch chunks, aiming for even pieces to ensure consistent baking throughout the cake. You’ll need about 2.5-3 cups total, which is roughly 285-315 grams. If you prefer larger apple chunks, cut them into ½ inch pieces.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.3 ½ cups (420g) all-purpose flour, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, 1 ½ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.1 cup (198g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (213g) brown sugar, ¾ cup (149g) vegetable oil, 1 cup (255g) applesauce, 3 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir just until combined.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients along with the diced apples and mix gently until everything is evenly incorporated.2 ½-3 cups (about 285-315g) diced apples
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13-inch pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs
- Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the frosting.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place room temperature unsalted butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium and beat together for 1-2 minutes, until whipped and fluffy.8 oz (226g) cream cheese, ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- Add in the vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and cinnamon, beat again on low for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until everything is incorporated.1 tsp vanilla extract, 4-5 cups (454-567g) powdered sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk or heavy cream, beat until creamy.
- Spread on top of the cooled cake.
