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This cozy fall cake recipe is a family heirloom. I adapted my grandma’s Cinnamon Apple Cake for modern bakers, then added a powdered sugar glaze. I bet she would be proud of the delicious results!
Table of Contents
Apple Cake Ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Apples: A wide variety of apple styles work well in baking, especially easy cake recipes like this. I love to mix two or three varieties to offer sweet and tart flavors, but feel free to stick with just one style if you like. Jonagold, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Jazz, and Braeburns are among my favorites for this Cinnamon Apple Cake. (Here’s a refresher on how to cut and core apples.)
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Powdered sugar
- Water: Or use milk to make your glaze.
- Vanilla extract
How to make Apple Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12- to 14 1/2-cup bundt pan. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or by hand using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix together the apples, egg, and vegetable oil.
- Add flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and ground cinnamon, and beat until well combined. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes in pan, and turn out cake onto a cooling rack.
- To make the glaze, in a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar, water, and vanilla. Drizzle over cooled cake.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Apple Cinnamon Cake recipe makes one bundt cake which can generally serve between 12 to 20 depending on the thickness of your slices. At my home, this usually serves about 16 nice slices.
- Storage: Cover any extra cake in plastic wrap and store covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: The unglazed cake can be cooled, wrapped tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap, and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature.
- Bundt pan: Opt for a 12-cup to 14 1/2-cup bundt pan.
- Make this your own: I took some liberties by adding a powdered sugar glaze to my grandma’s cake recipe, so feel free to adjust as you see fit! I bet pears would work beautifully in place of the apples, or how about a drizzle of Caramel Sauce instead of (or in addition to) the glaze?
More apple recipes
Fruit Dessert Recipes
Apple Crisp with Oatmeal
Main Dishes
Pork Cutlets with Apples
Salad Recipes
Fennel Apple Salad
Side Dish Recipes
Applesauce Recipe
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Cinnamon Apple Cake Recipe
This cozy fall cake recipe is a family heirloom. I adapted my grandma's Cinnamon Apple Cake for modern bakers, then added a powdered sugar glaze. I bet she would be proud of the delicious results!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 4 apples peeled, cored, and small diced
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
For the glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-cup or larger bundt pan.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or by hand using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix together the apples, egg, and vegetable oil. Add flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and ground cinnamon, and beat until well combined.
- Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes in pan, and turn out cake onto a cooling rack.
- To make the glaze, in a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar, water, and vanilla. Drizzle over cooled cake.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Apples: A wide variety of apple styles work well in baking, especially easy cake recipes like this. I love to mix two or three varieties to offer sweet and tart flavors, but feel free to stick with just one style if you like. Jonagold, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Jazz, and Braeburns are among my favorites for this Cinnamon Apple Cake. (Here’s a refresher on how to cut and core apples.)
- Yield: This Apple Cinnamon Cake recipe makes one bundt cake which can generally serve between 12 to 20 depending on the thickness of your slices. At my home, this usually serves about 16 nice slices.
- Storage: Cover any extra cake in plastic wrap and store covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 366kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 47mgPotassium: 80mgFiber: 2gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 71IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
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Hi I just wanted to say it’s such a great cake love the taste of cinnamon and apple also doesn’t take long to make I will make it again
Thank you, Susi! I’m glad you loved it! – Meggan
This recipe was the most difficult I have ever made and did not bake well ….
Hi Kelly, I’m so sorry you had trouble. There is a video in the recipe after step 4 that may be helpful for you if you would like to attempt this recipe again. – Meggan
Haven’t made yet
I hope you try it, Georgette! – Meggan
I MAKE apple pie in a jar canned can I use these in this recipe
Hi Marie, I haven’t tried it with this recipe, so I’m not sure if it would work well. Sorry about that! – Meggan
My husband loved this! The only change I made was to add chopped walnuts.
So glad it was a hit, Christine! Thanks! – Meggan
I made this for a church potluck. It was well-received and not a crumb left to bring home. Great fall recipe. The only change I made was to half the glaze, and it was just the right amount for the cake.
I’m so glad it was a hit, Margaret! Thank you for writing, take care! – Meggan
Six pictures and not one of the inside of the cake. Not making it. If you can’t be bothered, neither can I.
Hi Anne, sorry about that. Hope you have a better day. – Meggan
Hi Robin, Could I use butter in place of the vegetable oil? If so, how much should I use? Thank you!
Hi Judy, I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not. It likely will change the texture of the cake. Take care! – Meggan
Can you make these in smaller cake pans and for how long?
Hi Robin, I don’t see why not. I believe it would be 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the pan’s size and if it’s light or dark. I would check on it often, using the oven light to look at the progress rather than opening the oven. – Meggan
Added about 1/2 cup chopped pecans to batter, plus 1/4 cup applesauce to compensate for the dry nuts. Came out perfectly and gave the cake some crunch.
Thanks for writing, Tom! Take care! – Meggan
Excellent!! I added a teaspoon vanilla since I wasn’t going to drizzle it…it will be frozen for future use.
I used honey crisp apples.
Sounds great Jeanne, so glad you enjoyed! – Meggan
Can I substitute a cup of applesauce for the cup of oil in the cinnamon Apple cake?
Hi Susan, while I’ve substituted applesauce for oil in other recipes, I haven’t tried it specifically for this cake. I’m adding it to my list to test in the future. I hope it comes out delicious! – Meggan