Easy Apple Cake with Cinnamon Glaze

This moist, tender apple cake with cinnamon glaze is a tasty treat you can whip up in under an hour. Minimal prep but made from scratch, and ready to serve while it’s still warm – the perfect effortless dessert to impress everyone!

This classic apple cake is the real deal – no box mixes here! The tender crumb packed with sweet apples and a crunchy cinnamon topping is always a crowd-pleaser. The sweet glaze is the finisher that makes it even more irresistible.

Ready to enjoy the perfect apple cake? Let’s get baking!

🛍️ Ingredients

See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements.

Batter

🛒All-purpose flour

🛒Baking powder

🛒Baking soda

🛒White sugar

🛒Apples (one sweet and one tart, peeled and diced)

🛒Eggs

🛒Vanilla bean paste (or an equal amount of vanilla extract) – Vanilla bean paste is the best option but the extract works well too. You can also use a vanilla extract substitute such as vanilla powder.

🛒Vegetable oil – Melted butter can be used as a substitute but the cake might end up having a denser and slightly drier texture.

🛒Greek yogurt – Sour cream is a viable substitute although it will increase the calorie count a bit.

Cinnamon Topping

🛒White sugar – The base of the cinnamon topping.

🛒Ground cinnamon -The perfect complement to apples.

🛒Unsalted butter, melted – This provides the richness and moisture to make a topping that binds well.

Glaze

🛒Powdered sugar

🛒Milk – You can use dairy or non-dairy milk.

🍎 The Best Apples to Use

The apple variety you use for the cake will have an impact on the final flavor and texture. This recipe requires one sweet apple and one tart apple. Here are the best ways to approach this:

Use two apples of the same variety, as I did for my cake mix apple crisp.

Use two different apples (one sweet and one tart), the same way I did for my Cracker Barrel copycat fried apples. This will give your cake a richer flavor compared to using a single variety.

Best Apples For Baking

Whatever combination of apples you choose, they must both be labeled good for baking. The apples intended for eating raw won’t hold their shape in the oven.

Tart apples for baking:

• Granny Smith
• Braeburn
• Jonathan
• Pacific Rose

Sweet apples for baking:

• Honeycrisp
• Jazz
• Cosmic Crisp
• Pink Lady
• Fuji

⏲ Equipment

✅Knife

✅Cutting board

✅Mixing bowls

✅Measuring cups and spoons

✅Whisk

✅9-inch cake pan

✅Parchment paper (optional)

👩‍🍳 Instructions 

Make The Batter

👉Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

👉Step 2: Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.

👉Step 3: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

👉Step 4: Add the chopped apples and stir to combine.

👉Step 5: In a smaller bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla, oil, and yogurt briefly to break up the egg yolks.

👉Step 6: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Don’t overmix – an even texture is all you need.

👉Step 7: Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Make The Cinnamon Topping

👉Step 1: In a small bowl combine the cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter. Mix with a fork until lumpy and wet.

👉Step 2: Sprinkle over the cake batter.

Bake

👉Step 1: Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

👉Step 2: Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes.

Make The Glaze

👉Step 1: Mix the powdered sugar and one tablespoon of milk to make the glaze.

👉Step 2: Stir until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add an extra tablespoon of milk.

👉Step 3: For the best presentation, drizzle the glaze over the cake right before serving.

💡 Recipe Tips

📌Even Apple Distribution | After pouring the batter, use a spoon or spatula to gently spread the apples for an even layer.

📌Remove Air Bubbles | Gently tap the cake pan on the counter 2-3 times before putting it into the oven. This will release any air bubbles that might have formed when you poured the cake batter in.

📌Glaze Timing | For a glossy finish, glaze the cake when it’s completely cool, as close to serving as possible. Glazing the cake while warm will allow it to soak offering a different presentation but still delicious.

🔄 Substitutions

🔹Greek yogurt | Swap out the Greek yogurt for full-fat sour cream for a slightly tangier and richer flavor.

🔹Cinnamon | You could substitute apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice for the plain cinnamon in the recipe for a warmer, more complex spice blend.

🔹Powdered sugar glaze | You can replace the powdered sugar glaze with homemade caramel sauce for an extra sweet treat. Instructions for this are below in the Serving Suggestions section.

⚡ Variations 

👍Other Fruit | This easy apple cake with cinnamon glaze is yummy, but you can have fun trying it with other fruits such as peaches, nectarines, or pears. Remember that peaches and nectarines will make the cake softer and spoil faster, so store it in the fridge and eat it within 3 days.

👍Gluten-Free | To make this cake gluten-free, substitute your favorite gluten-free baking mix for the all-purpose flour in a 1:1 ratio.

👍Lower Calorie | You can lower the calorie count in this recipe by using low-fat Greek yogurt instead of the regular kind. Also, applesauce can be used instead of oil in the batter.

👍Add Nuts | I love cakes with nuts; this apple cake is no exception. Add a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter for a nice crunch in the finished cake.

👍Caramel Sauce Variation | Skip the glaze and use caramel sauce – another excellent option to complement the apple flavor perfectly. Here’s how to make it:

• Mix one packed cup of dark brown sugar, ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, a pinch of salt, and ½ cup heavy cream in a small saucepan.
• Whisk gently and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes.
• Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before drizzling over your cake.
• Drizzle right before serving if you don’t want the sauce to soak into the cake.

👍Bake In A Different Pan | I recommend a 9-inch round cake pan for this cake, but you could just as easily cook it in a bundt pan or a loaf pan. They are taller so expect a longer cooking time.

Check out our free printable baking pan conversion chart for more options.

👍Make Muffins | This wet batter works just as well for making apple cake muffins. Check for doneness at 20 minutes and then every 5 minutes. The muffins will cook faster than the cake.

🍱 Storage

🍰Room Temperature | Store any leftover cake in an airtight container on the counter for 2 to 3 days. 

🧊Freezer | Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, then store it in the freezer for up to one month.

Remove from the freezer and allow to come to room temperature before serving. If you want to serve it warm, heat it in the oven at 250ºF for about 10 minutes or until just warm but not hot.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

This homemade apple cake with cinnamon glaze is wonderful just as it is written, but here are some additional serving suggestions that you might enjoy:

⭐Apple Butter | You can add a dollop of apple butter to each slice of the cake as you serve it for an enhanced apple flavor. Yum!

⭐Ice Cream Or Whipped Cream | Add a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream or a dollop of real whipped cream to your cake. This is especially delicious if you serve the cake warm.

⭐Honey Butter | For a more decadent taste try drizzling a warm slice with honey butter before serving (mix 3 tablespoons each of softened butter and honey, plus a pinch of sea salt).

🥧More Easy Apple Desserts To Try

If you love apples and apple desserts as much as me, then you might want to try more of our favorite recipes:

• Air Fryer Apple Roses
• No Peel Apple Crisp
• Easy Apple Strudel Recipe With Apple Cinnamon Icing
• Marshmallow Apple Pie Spice Dump Cake
• Air Fryer Apple Caramel Hand Pies
• Slow Cooker Apple Dump Cake

❓FAQ

This article originally appeared on Pink When.