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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!
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.
Best Apples for Apple Cake
For apple cake, choose apples with a balance of sweetness and tartness, like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Braeburn, Gala, Jonathan, or Cortland. These varieties hold their shape during baking.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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. 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
No. I didn’t peel mine. Just dice them into small pieces so they soften while the cake bakes.
Yes, halve the recipe and the glaze. I haven’t tested it in an 8×8 pan, so start checking around 25 minutes at 350ºF. It’s done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Yes. White, butter golden, and French vanilla cake mix work too. Use a 15.25 oz box.
Your choice. Pour the glaze over the warm cake, or let it cool completely first. If you’re making it ahead, wait to glaze until the day you serve it so the cake doesn’t get soggy.
More Favorite Recipes
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Fresh Apple Cake with Cake Mix
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.
Can I use apple sauce are vanilla yogurt in place of the sour cream?
This is a keeper! Easy and moist not to mention the great flavor. I wanted something simple to go with my coffee. It delivered.
I admit I changed a few things, but not drastically. Was looking for an easy recipe (all ingredients on hand) to use up some aging pink ladies.
I had a Dolly Parton Banana box cake. So I followed the recipe as it was except for using 1 ripe mashed banana and only 1/4 c vegetable oil. After it baked and cooled, I added a handful of toasted pecans and a caramel glaze instead of icing.
This cake is outstanding and a keeper. I live at high altitude so it took longer to bake and is very moist. Next time (next week 😋), I may try adding a few T of flour to see if it helps. I followed your tip to not be shy about swirling the cinnamon sugar and it came out looking and smelling like heaven.
It really doesn’t need any kind of frosting. The crusty, caramelized sugar is such a treat! We like the caramel but next time – glaze on the side only. Seems to us this would be a great morning coffee cake without the glaze. It’s more of a dessert with it.
Thank you so much for this fantastic, very versatile cake. I can envision candied nuts, blueberries, strawberries, pineapple… the combo possibilities are endless!
What is so cool about this recipe is that it is moist. You do not need the icing on top which I love because I just wanted something to go with my coffee in the morning. I took it to a Bible study and everyone just loved it. And that was without the icing.
Sooooooooo moist and so easy! I prefer it without the icing. Baker beware, dangerously addictive!!! LOL! 🤤😂🤣
Hi Beth, I took a gamble on your recipe but fudge it halfway through! I did a double batch, but ran out of oil and substituted applesauce. I cut one too many apples and threw that in there I didn’t have powdered sugar to make a glaze so I used an extra cake mix to make a crumb top we’ll see how it goes! Your recipe sounds great and if this flops, I’m excited for my next day off to try again!
Update- the flop was a wild success. I made it for my co workers and was told it’s the best thing I’ve ever made. It’s a recipe I make ALL THE TIME now. Your recipe is the bomb dot com. Thank you!!!!
Apples are all different in size…..how much in cups of diced apple do you use! 2 cups of diced apples?
I would estimate about 2 cups!
Could this be baked in loaf pans instead of a 9×13?
Hi Janice! Yes, you could. I would recommend baking in 2 loaf pans, I’m not quite sure about the bake time, probably around 40+ minutes.
YUM!!!!!!
IT TASTES JUST LIKE YOU WALKED OUT IF A BAKERY WITH IT. VERY HARD TO STOP EATING.
Hi have to make this cake today no apples but a can of apple filling is that lousy??
I’m worried that the recipe might turn out too moist because of the added moisture from canned apple filling.