This Spiced Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a cozy two-layer cake filled with fresh apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and warm fall spices. The cake layers are soft, moist, and slightly dense from the apples, while the tangy cream cheese frosting adds just the right amount of sweetness. It’s a beautiful cake for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving, birthdays, or simply when you have plenty of apples to use.
Spiced Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and well combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and sour cream.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Gently fold the finely diced apples into the batter. The batter will be fairly thick.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake for 28–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until completely smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Beat until fluffy.
- Place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting over the top.
- Add the second cake layer and spread frosting generously over the top. For the rustic look shown in the image, you can leave the sides mostly unfrosted.
- Pipe a few small frosting swirls around the top and finish with a light dusting of cinnamon.
Notes
- Finely dice the apples rather than using large chunks. Small pieces blend into the cake as they bake, creating a moist crumb without making the layers difficult to stack.
- Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, or Braeburn apples all work well. For a sweeter cake, choose Honeycrisp; for more contrast against the sweet frosting, Granny Smith is a great choice.
- Most importantly, let both cake layers cool completely before frosting. Warm cake will soften the cream cheese frosting and can cause the layers to slide.
Variations
Apple Walnut Cake: Fold ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter.
Extra-Spiced Apple Cake: Add ¼ teaspoon ground cloves or allspice.
Caramel Apple Cake: Drizzle salted caramel over the finished cake just before serving.
Single-Layer Cake: Bake the batter in a 9×13-inch pan and spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled cake.
Serving Suggestions
This cake makes about 10–12 slices. Because it has two moist apple-spice layers and rich cream cheese frosting, moderately sized slices are usually plenty.
Serve it at room temperature for the softest cake and creamiest frosting. It pairs beautifully with hot tea, coffee, chai, or a cold glass of milk. For a fall dessert table, serve it alongside fresh apple slices, toasted pecans, or a little warm caramel sauce.
The cake is especially good after it has rested for a few hours because the apple and spice flavors have time to develop.
Tips
- Finely dice the apples for an even texture.
- Measure the flour carefully so the cake doesn’t become dry.
- Don’t squeeze moisture from the apples.
- Don’t overmix after adding the flour.
- Cool the layers completely before assembling.
- Use full-fat block cream cheese for a thick, stable frosting.
- Bring refrigerated cake to room temperature before serving.
Storage
Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the finished cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
For the best texture, remove it from the refrigerator about 20–30 minutes before serving.
The unfrosted cake layers can also be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months.
Time & Servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 30–35 minutes
Cooling & Decorating: 1 hour
Total Time: About 2 hours
Servings: 10–12 slices
Nutrition
Approximate per serving, based on 12 slices:
Calories: 520
Protein: 5g
Carbohydrates: 69g
Fat: 26g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 48g
Frequently Asked Questions
What apples are best for Spiced Apple Cake?
Firm baking apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Braeburn work particularly well. You can also combine a tart and sweet variety.
Should I peel the apples?
Yes, peeling them gives the cake a softer and more uniform crumb. If you don’t mind small pieces of apple skin, however, leaving them unpeeled won’t ruin the recipe.
Why is my apple cake dense?
Apple cake is naturally a little denser than vanilla cake because of the moisture from the fruit. However, too much flour or overmixing the batter can make it excessively heavy.
Can I make the cake ahead of time?
Yes. Bake the layers a day ahead, cool them completely, and wrap them tightly. Make the frosting and assemble the cake the following day.
Can I grate the apples instead of dicing them?
Yes. Coarsely grated apples create an even softer, moister crumb. If you want the texture to resemble the pictured cake, finely diced apples are a better choice.
Can I make the cream cheese frosting less sweet?
Yes. Start with about 2½–3 cups of powdered sugar and add more only if needed. Keep in mind that using less sugar will make the frosting softer.
