Apple Cake with Cake Mix

Want a fresh apple cake without pulling out the flour, sugar, and baking powder? Start with a box of yellow cake mix. Stir in sour cream, oil, eggs, and diced apples, then swirl cinnamon sugar through the batter. One 9×13 pan, and it’s ready in under an hour!

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This is one of THE best coffee cakes I’ve ever made and by far the easiest. 

-Kathleen

A friend brought me lots of apples, so this was a good chance to try this recipe. It came together beautifully and is absolutely delicious. The recipe is now in my tried and true file. Thank you.

-Pauline

Delicious Fresh Apple Cake made with Cake Mix

• Starts with a box of yellow cake mix
• Bakes in one 9×13 inch pan
• Fresh diced apples in every bite
• Makes your house smell like fall!

This recipe is all about the cake mix. Want a from scratch version with a thick crumb topping? Try my apple coffee cake. It’s a completely different recipe, built on my coffee cake base.

Apple Cake with Cake Mix Ingredients

You only need a box of cake mix and a few things from the fridge and pantry. Find the full amounts in the recipe card.

• Apples: About 2 apples, or 2 cups diced. I use Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Gala, and I leave the peel on. Dice them small so they soften while the cake bakes.
• Brown sugar and cinnamon: Packed brown sugar mixed with cinnamon. A little gets tossed with the apples, and the rest gets swirled through the batter.
• Sour cream: It goes in with the oil, eggs, and vanilla. (See Open Decision 3.)
• Yellow cake mix: One 15.25 oz box. White, butter golden, spice, and French vanilla cake mix work too. I’ve also made it with a gluten free yellow cake mix, and it turned out great.
• Plus: vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract for the batter, and powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla for the glaze.

How to Make Apple Cake with Cake Mix

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Dice the apples into small pieces. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, mix with a spoon to combine. Remove 3 tbsp and sprinkle over the apples. Set aside the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. And set aside the apples. 
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract, beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute or until combined. Add in the cake mix, gently mixing with the beater. Add in the apples and mix by hand until incorporated. Pour the cake mixture into the 9×13 inch pan, smooth with a spatula.

5. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture all over the cake. Use a butter knife or spatula to swirl this mixture into the cake batter.

6. Bake for 32-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool while you make the glaze.
7. In a mixing bowl combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Use a whisk to stir the mixture until it’s smooth. YOUR CHOICE: pour the glaze over the warm cake or let the cake cool completely then add the glaze. Serve right away or cover the cake pan with a lid and store on the counter until serving.

This is for sure the easiest way to make apple cake!

Making Apple Cake with Cake Mix Ahead of Time

You can make this apple cake the day before you serve it and store it on the counter in an airtight container. However, I recommend waiting to add the glaze until the day of, otherwise the glaze can make the cake soggy.

How to Store Apple Cake with Cake Mix

The cake can be kept on the counter in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Apple Cake with Cake Mix Substitutions and Variations

You can replace the 15.25 oz box of yellow cake mix with another 15.25 oz cake mix. Other flavors I recommend are white, butter golden, spice, and french vanilla!

Want Cream Cheese Icing Instead? Beat 4 oz softened cream cheese with 2 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 cup milk until thick. If too thick, beat in more milk (1 tsp at a time).

Gluten Free Apple Cake with Cake Mix

I tested this recipe with a gluten free yellow cake mix, and it turned out SO good. Swap it in for the regular mix and change nothing else. One recipe for the whole table!

Apple Cake with Cake Mix Tips for Success

• Be sure to dice the apples into small pieces so they soften during baking. If the apple pieces are too large, they won’t become fully soft.
• Don’t be afraid to really swirl in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Use a butter knife or small spatula.
• Recommended apples include: granny smith, honey crisp, or gala.

Apple Cake with Cake Mix FAQs

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4.33 from 261 ratings

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Fresh Apple Cake with Cake Mix

By: Beth

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 20 servings

Pin Rate Print

Apple cake with cake mix, fresh diced apples, and sour cream, with a cinnamon sugar swirl and an easy vanilla glaze. One 9×13 pan, ready in under an hour.

Equipment

• 9×13 glass pan
• Kitchen Scale
• Glass Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 apples, about 2 cups diced into small pieces (I recommend granny smith, honey crisp, or gala)
• ▢ ½ cup (107g) brown sugar
• ▢ 1 ½ Tbsp cinnamon
• ▢ 1 cup (228g) sour cream
• ▢ ¾ cup (177ml) vegetable oil
• ▢ 4 large eggs
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 box yellow cake mix, 15.25 oz (can use a gluten free mix!)

GLAZE

• ▢ 2 cups (227g) powdered sugar
• ▢ 3 Tbsp milk or more in needed
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
• Dice the apples into small pieces. Set aside.
  2 apples
• In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, mix with a spoon to combine. Remove 3 tbsp and sprinkle over the apples. Set aside the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. And set aside the apples. 
  1/2 cup (107g) brown sugar, 1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract, beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute or until combined. Add in the cake mix, gently mixing with the beater. Add in the apples and mix by hand until incorporated. Pour the cake mixture into the 9×13 inch pan, smooth with a spatula.
  1 cup (228g) sour cream, 3/4 cup (177ml) vegetable oil, 4 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 box yellow cake mix
• Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture all over the cake. Use a butter knife or spatula to swirl this mixture into the cake batter.
• Bake for 32-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool while you make the glaze.
• In a mixing bowl combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Use a whisk to stir the mixture until it’s smooth.
  2 cups (227g) powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp milk or more in needed, 1 tsp vanilla extract
• YOUR CHOICE: pour the glaze over the warm cake or let the cake cool completely then add the glaze. Serve right away or cover the cake pan with a lid and store on the counter until serving.

Last Step: I’d love to hear what you think. Leave a rating and comment here.

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Nutrition

Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 141IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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