I love baking with apples, especially when the weather cools down. There’s just something comforting about the smell of cinnamon and apples filling my kitchen. Today, I’m sharing four of my favorite apple cake recipes that I think you’ll really enjoy.
From a classic streusel cake to a cozy apple cider bundt, each recipe brings something special to your table. Grab your apron, because we’re about to make some delicious apple treats together!
Jump to Recipe:
- 1. Apple Streusel Cake Recipe
- 2. Apple Fritter Cake Recipe
- 3. Apple Honey Cake Recipe
- 4. Apple Cider Bundt Cake Recipe
Apple Streusel Cake Recipe
This is a classic apple cake with a wonderfully crumbly topping. It’s moist and full of warm cinnamon apple flavor that everyone loves.
Key Ingredients & Tips
- Streusel Topping: Use cold butter when making the streusel; it helps create that perfect crumbly texture.
- Apple Choice: Firm, tart apples like Granny Smith work best in this cake, holding their shape and adding nice flavor.
What You Need
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter, cold
- Large eggs
- Apples (Granny Smith recommended)
- Ground cinnamon
- Brown sugar
- Baking powder
- Milk
⏱️ Time: 70 mins🍽️ Yields: 10 servings
How to Make It
Step 1: Prep Oven & Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan. Make the streusel by combining cold butter, flour, and brown sugar until crumbly.
Step 2: Mix Batter
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon. In another bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing until just combined. Fold in the diced apples.
Step 3: Add Streusel & Bake
Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
📝 Final Note
This cake is wonderful served warm, perhaps with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra treat.
Easy Apple Fritter Cake
You can get all the great taste of apple fritters in this easy cake form. This cake is moist, filled with tender apple chunks, and topped with a sweet glaze.
Key Ingredients & Tips
- Apple Pieces: Cut your apples into small, even pieces. This helps them cook through nicely and distributes them well in the cake.
- Glaze Application: Drizzle the glaze when the cake is mostly cool. This prevents it from soaking too much into the cake, giving you a beautiful top layer.
What You Need
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Milk
- Vegetable oil
- Apples, peeled and diced
- Ground cinnamon
- Baking powder
- Powdered sugar (for glaze)
- Vanilla extract
⏱️ Time: 65 mins🍽️ Yields: 12 servings
How to Make It
Step 1: Prepare Batter
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon. In another bowl, combine eggs, milk, and oil. Pour the wet mixture into the dry, then gently fold in the diced apples.
Step 2: Bake Cake
Pour the batter evenly into your prepared baking pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack.
Step 3: Make Glaze
While the cake cools, whisk together powdered sugar, a splash of milk, and vanilla extract until smooth for the glaze. Once the cake is mostly cool, drizzle the glaze over the top and let it set before serving.
📝 Final Note
Store any leftover apple fritter cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Tender Apple Honey Cake
This cake is sweet and tender, making it perfect for a special gathering or just a treat. The honey gives it a rich, unique flavor that pairs so well with fresh apples.
Key Ingredients & Tips
- Honey Quality: Use a good quality honey for this cake; its flavor really shines through and makes a difference.
- Gentle Folding: When combining your wet and dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Gentle folding helps keep the cake light and tender.
What You Need
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Honey
- Apples, grated or finely diced
- Orange juice
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
⏱️ Time: 75 mins🍽️ Yields: 10-12 servings
How to Make It
Step 1: Combine Wet Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a bundt pan. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, honey, eggs, and orange juice until they are well blended.
Step 2: Add Dry & Apples
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just smooth. Stir in the grated apples.
Step 3: Bake & Cool
Pour the cake batter into your prepared bundt pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
📝 Final Note
A simple dusting of powdered sugar over the cooled apple honey cake adds a lovely finish.
Apple Cider Bundt Cake Recipe
This beautiful bundt cake is full of the cozy flavors of apple cider. It’s a wonderful cake to bake for autumn gatherings or when you want something comforting.
Key Ingredients & Tips
- Reduce Cider: Take time to reduce the apple cider. This step concentrates its flavor, making your cake taste even more like apples.
- Bundt Pan Prep: Make sure to grease and flour your bundt pan very well. This helps ensure the cake releases easily and keeps its lovely shape.
What You Need
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Large eggs
- Apple cider
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Vanilla extract
⏱️ Time: 70 mins🍽️ Yields: 12-14 servings
How to Make It
Step 1: Reduce Cider
Pour 2 cups of apple cider into a small saucepan. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat and let it cook until it reduces to about 1/2 cup, about 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare your bundt pan.
Step 2: Mix Cake Batter
In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the reduced apple cider, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
Step 3: Bake & Glaze
Pour the batter into your prepared bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. You can finish it with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and a touch of apple cider.
📝 Final Note
This apple cider bundt cake freezes well. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy.