Easy Apple Cake Recipe

Always a staple for holidays and celebrations, this easy apple cake recipe is one of my family’s all-time favorite cakes!Easy Apple Cake Recipe

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Apple Cake Recipe

With the arrival of fall comes the best season for delicious desserts from pumpkin and caramel to apple and maple. I’m so excited to kick off this tasty time of year with my favorite easy apple cake recipe. It’s a family favorite that has been passed down for generations.

As a little girl, I can remember sitting around our dining room table with my grandfather as we ate this apple cake together! I hope this apple cake recipe creates many memories at home for you too! I’ll be sharing another favorite apple recipe again soon so all my apple lovers, rejoice!

easy apple cake recipe with glaze

The glaze on this apple cake is my absolute favorite. Doesn’t it look amazing? I could maybe eat it with a spoon. When it cools, it adds a top layer that is so decadent and full of brown sugar flavor. Not only is it moist and delicious but it couldn’t be easier so grab those aprons and let’s get baking!

Keep in mind that you can bake this in any shape you like, it just might adjust your baking time if it’s a deeper pan. I love the jelly roll sheet pan because it makes these a bit like “apple cake bars”. Easy to serve to a crowd – or go back for a second piece. ;)

You will love this easy apple cake recipe that is topped with a brown sugar glaze that is to die for! It's always a crowd-pleasing recipe!

You could certainly leave the nuts out or change them up if you’d like! I love pecans but walnuts would also be a delicious addition.

apple cake bars

Tips for Making Apple Cake

  • Use fresh apples for this apple cake! They make all the difference. I chose Granny Smith but Jonathans,  McIntosh, and Honeycrisp would work well also.
  • Bring your eggs to room temperature before baking. My Mom taught me this trick for baking. You can either set them out in advance or quickly warm them in a bowl of warm water.
  • Also make sure your butter is room temperature. I usually set out my butter and eggs several hours before baking.
  • Don’t over-bake your apple cake! Watch it carefully as ovens vary (as do baking pans).
  • I mentioned this above but make this apple cake your own! If you love walnuts, swap those in or leave nuts out completely. It’s up to you!

If you want more dessert recipes, check out my others here! I also styled up an Apple Pie Themed Party you might like to check out here! This apple cake would be a fabulous addition to an apple party, don’t you think? It’s SO good so I hope you’ll try it out!

If you try this apple cake recipe with your friends and family, you MUST tell me how you like it! For my family, it’s our go-to favorite cake recipe for the holidays. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

a plate of apple cake bars

Apple Cake

Celebrate the arrival of apple season with this delicious “best ever apple cake” recipe. Get the recipe and try it out with your family this fall!
SERVINGS 12 people
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs - room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup pecans - chopped
  • 3 cups granny smith apples - diced
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup milk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325 ° F. Beat the oil, sugar and eggs with electric mixer until well blended. Add in vanilla extract.
  • Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add to wet ingredients and beat until just blended.
  • Stir in diced apples and pecans. Pour batter into 9x13 baking pan. I have tried this recipe in a bundt pan but the key to this cake is the glaze soaking into it so a flat sheet pan works best.
  • Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 or until lightly golden and cooked through. Let cool.
  • To make glaze, add butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and milk to a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil and pour over the cooled cake. Let the cake cool again completely (can chill in refrigerator until ready to slice). Slice into squares and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 510kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 5gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 379mgPotassium: 158mgFiber: 2gSugar: 55gVitamin A: 335IUVitamin C: 1.6mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

For another favorite cake recipe, try out my Rum Cake with Rum Icing Glaze. It’s so decadent and amazing!

Delicious and easy apple cake! Perfect fall recipe!

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22 Comments

  1. Yes this looks so good and that bowl with the nuts..oh my what a way to start my day

    1. Thank you Cate!! :)

    1. Thank you, Melanie!!

  2. Love this cake! I’m pretty sure I could use a slice of it right now with my morning coffee. :-)

  3. Just made it, ate it, loved it! Thanks for sharing!

    1. YAY Maria! That’s what we love to hear :) Thank you for sharing!!

  4. Christina says:

    Cake is in the oven…it smells divine! A couple notes (good at cooking, but I’m terrible at baking!)…I peeled the apples. It didn’t say peeled, but looked that way from the pictures. I also packed the brown sugar…force of habit. I will say that it’s taking a LOT longer in the oven…45 min so far and probably just under 10 to go (my pan might be smaller than 9×13, but not my much). But, it smells so yummy….I can’t wait to try it!

  5. I’m making this right now…it says pour in baking dish???? Its not pourable it’s very thick, did I do something wrong? I hope it turns out good cause it looks awesome!

  6. I made this recepi tastes great but when preparing the batter it was too heavy.
    I put 1 cup of milk extra

  7. Made this apple cake today! The batter is very, very thick when you put it in the pan. Just spread it as evenly as you can. It definitely does not bake in 30-35 mins. at 325 degrees. I ended up baking this cake for almost 1 hr. at that temperature. Also, 3 tablespoons of vanilla is not necessary for this size of cake. One tablespoon is plenty. This cake is dense but very good. Especially after pouring on all the buttery goodness used as icing!

  8. Mines in the oven right now! & It’s taking alot longer then 25 minutes to bake. I’d say atleast an hour to an hour 15 mins. It smells amazing & I cannot wait to try it :)

    1. Keara, what size pan are you baking it in? If it’s a thick pan (smaller pan, making batter thicker), it will take longer to cook. If it’s a really wide, big shallow pan, it’ll cook faster. Sometimes size of ovens vary and even oven temperatures vary. Definitely go with the toothpick inserted trick to be sure it’s fully cooked. Can’t wait for you to try it :)

  9. Katherine Lewis says:

    Can’t wait to try it…not sure of the amount of oil..is 1 1/2 cup or 1/2 cup

  10. I’ve learned to wait about 15 min. after stirring in apples & nuts (this allows some moisture to come out of the apples) then stir again before putting it in baking pan. Mine always requires an hour or so. Delicious!

    1. GREAT Tip, thanks dorothy!

  11. 3 tablespoons of Vanilla???

  12. Wow, this recipe sounds amazing. Your memories of enjoying it it’s your grandfather were so touching.
    Thanks for sharing.

  13. Cake is good, but cooking time is WAY off (as others have mentioned). Unfortunately I learned the hard way after I made 3 for my kids stupid bake sale. 4th batch is in, so I’m planning on 1 hour+ for bake time.

4.50 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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