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Spiced Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Spiced Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A moist two-layer Spiced Apple Cake packed with fresh apples and warm cinnamon spices, layered with rich, tangy cream cheese frosting for the perfect cozy fall dessert.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Cooling & Decorating 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • For the Spiced Apple Cake
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 cups peeled and finely diced apples
  • For the Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 8 oz 225 g cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • Optional Garnish
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Small piped swirls of cream cheese frosting

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and well combined.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and sour cream.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
  6. Gently fold the finely diced apples into the batter. The batter will be fairly thick.
  7. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and smooth the tops.
  8. Bake for 28–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
  10. To make the frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until completely smooth and creamy.
  11. Gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Beat until fluffy.
  12. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting over the top.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.