Cinnamon Apple Spice Cake
A few weeks back I posted a poll to my instagram story debating between two beloved fall flavors: pumpkin and apple. Much to my surprise the poll ended up being a tie right down the middle. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized I couldn’t pick a favorite either! Apple and pumpkin both go so well with warm fall spices so you truly can’t go wrong either way. This cinnamon apple spice cake screams fall. It is packed with fresh apples and spiced with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. It is baked in a 9X13 pan and topped with the silkiest cream cheese frosting.
The recipe itself is a rendition of a recipe passed down from my grandmother and a recipe card I found in my other grandmother’s recipe box. I made a few tweaks to achieve the desired texture I was looking for, and I think you’ll love it too.
Cinnamon apple spice cake batter:
While many apple recipes call for using tart apples I typically prefer to bake with a sweeter apple. I used Pink Lady’s in this recipe. Fuji or Honeycrisp would be great as well. If you like tart apples you could try using Granny Smith apples or even a mixture of a few different types. Next, peel and core the apples. Chop into small chunks and set aside while you prepare the batter. In a large mixing bowl whisk together all purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg and salt. Whisk together. In a separate bowl add the vegetable oil, apple sauce, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk together to combine. Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and dump in the apples and chopped pecans or walnuts if desired. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to fold ingredients together. The batter will be thick.
Baking:
Before you start preparing your cake batter, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a rack in the middle position. Grease a 9X13 inch baking dish and line with parchment paper. I usually just cut a piece of parchment paper in half lengthwise and place one piece horizontally and the other piece on top of that one vertically. Because the batter is thick you will have to sort of press it down and out to the corners of the baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake will start to brown at about 30 minutes but the center will still be quite wet. The cake should also spring back when you press a finger against it instead of leaving a large indent.
Cream cheese frosting:
Once the cake is completely cooled it is time to frost. This is a simple cream cheese frosting and the tartness perfectly complements the sweetness and the spices in the cake. Using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment mix together room temperature cream cheese and butter. Add the powdered sugar and continue to combine for one to two minutes. Add one to two tablespoons of heavy cream or milk and mix for another minute to achieve desired consistency. Spread over the sheet cake and enjoy.
Cinnamon Apple Spice Cake
Ingredients
Cinnamon apple spice cake
- 3 cups peeled and chopped apples
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
Cream cheese frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tbsp heavy cream or milk
Instructions
Cinnamon apple spice cake
- Preheat oven to 350° and place oven rack in middle position. Grease a 9X13 inch baking dish and line with two strips of parchment paper crossing over each other like a cross.
- Peel and core apples. I used three medium sized apples to come up with three cups. Chop into small, bite sized pieces. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the all purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl add vegetable oil, apple sauce, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add the chopped apples and chopped nuts if desired. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to fold ingredients together. Spoon batter into prepared baking dish. Press down and out towards the sides of the pans in an even layer. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when a finger is pressed into it.
- Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.
Cream cheese frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer add the softened cream cheese and butter. Mix to combine on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and mix on medium speed, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl each addition.
- Add one to two tablespoons of cream or milk and mix on medium-high speed for about a minute. Frost completely cooled cake and enjoy.