This apple spice cake is incredibly tender, packed with fresh grated apples and warm spices, and topped with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
The combination of grated apples and applesauce gives this soft, moist cake natural sweetness and a tender crumb. Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger create a cozy flavor perfect for autumn or year-round baking.
A smooth layer of whipped cream cheese frosting adds a tangy sweetness that complements the spiced cake beneath.
Finished with a light dusting of ground cinnamon, this simple one-bowl cake is ideal for holiday gatherings, family dinners, or enjoying with a hot cup of coffee.
For more apple desserts, check out my apple cinnamon rolls, apple crumble cake, apple fritters, and apple crumble muffins.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Ultra Moist and Tender: Finely grated fresh apples, unsweetened applesauce, and sour cream lock in deep moisture, keeping the cake soft and tender for days without making it dense.
- Balanced Warm Spices: A blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger creates a cozy autumn flavor that highlights, rather than overpowers, the natural apple sweetness.
- Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting: A light, whipped cream cheese topping adds a rich, subtle tang that perfectly balances the warm spiced cake beneath.
- Effortless One-Bowl Prep: The entire batter comes together quickly in a single mixing bowl using basic pantry staples, with no stand mixer or complicated steps required.
Ingredients
Before starting this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the baking process goes smoothly. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
For the Cake Batter
Apples: Use firm and tart apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn. They hold their texture well and give a balanced sweet and tart flavor.
Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce adds natural moisture and enhances the apple flavor.
Sour Cream: Full fat sour cream at room temperature keeps the cake crumb tender.
Vegetable Oil: Neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil keeps the cake moist for days.
Granulated and Brown Sugar: A combination of both adds sweetness and a subtle caramel flavor.
Eggs: Room-temperature eggs bind the batter and provide structure.
All Purpose Flour: Provides the foundation for the cake structure. Cake flour works as well.
Baking Soda: Helps the cake rise evenly. Do not substitute with baking powder.
Spices and Salt: Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and kosher salt bring out the warm spice flavor.
Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and flavor depth.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream Cheese: Full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature.
Heavy Cream: Full-fat heavy whipping cream creates a light, whipped frosting texture.
Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
Vanilla Extract and Cinnamon: Enhance the cream cheese flavor with a touch of spice.
Step by Step Instructions
Make the apple cake
1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Wash, dry, and finely grate the apples using the small holes of a box grater with the peel on.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the grated apples, sour cream, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and kosher salt until well combined.
4. Add the all purpose flour and baking soda to the bowl. Whisk or fold with a spatula just until no flour lumps remain. Do not overmix.
5. Pour the batter into your prepared 9x9-inch pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
6. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before frosting.
Make the cream cheese frosting
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
2. Add the room-temperature cream cheese and beat until smooth and creamy.
3. Spread the frosting over the completely cooled cake using an offset spatula. Dust with ground cinnamon before slicing.
Expert Tips
- Measure Flour Correctly: Fluff flour with a spoon, scoop into your measuring cup, and level off with the back of a knife to prevent a dense cake.
- Grate Apples Finely: Use the smaller holes of a box grater so the shredded apples melt into the batter without creating wet pockets.
- Do Not Overmix: Fold dry ingredients gently just until combined to keep the cake light and tender.
- Cool Completely Before Frosting: Ensure the cake is completely at room temperature, or the whipped cream cheese frosting will melt upon contact.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cake was likely still warm in the middle. Make sure the cake cools for at least 1 hour before spreading the frosting.
No. The finely grated apple skins soften completely as the cake bakes, adding extra moisture and subtle color. However, if you prefer a completely uniform texture, you can peel them first without changing the recipe.
This usually happens if the oven door is opened too early, the baking soda is expired, or extra apples or applesauce are added. Excess moisture weighs down the batter and prevents the center from setting properly.
Storage and Freezing
Refrigerator: Store frosted cake in an airtight container or covered tightly in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Freeze the unfrosted cake or flash-freeze the frosted cake uncovered for 1 hour until solid, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Substitutions and Variations
Dairy-Free: Swap the sour cream, cream cheese, and heavy cream for plant-based alternatives like vegan sour cream, block vegan cream cheese, and dairy-free whipping cream.
Gluten-Free: Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free measure-for-measure baking flour containing xanthan gum.
Nuts: Add ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the cake batter for extra crunch.
Caramel Pecan: Drizzle caramel sauce over the cream cheese frosting and top with chopped toasted pecans.
Cranberry Apple: Fold ½ cup of dried cranberries into the batter before baking.
Baking in Different Pan Sizes
If you do not have a 9x9-inch pan, you can easily bake this recipe in other pan sizes. Keep the oven temperature at 180°C (350°F) and adjust the baking time accordingly:
12-Cup Muffin Tin: Line with paper liners, fill each two-thirds full, and bake for 18 to 22 minutes.
8x8 Inch Pan: The batter will sit slightly deeper. Bake for about 1 hour.
9-Inch Springform Pan: Fits the single-batch recipe perfectly. Bake for 50-55 minutes.
9x13 Inch Pan: Double both the cake batter and the cream cheese frosting. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
Equipment
- 9x9 inch baking pan and parchment paper
- Box grater
- Electric hand mixer
- Large mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Offset spatula
More Apple Desserts
If you enjoyed this recipe, check out my apple crisp bars, puff pastry apple tart, or cinnamon apple cake!
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📖 Recipe
Apple Spice Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups Apples with the peel
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup Granulated sugar plus ¼ cup for the top
- ¾ cup Brown sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ⅔ cup Sour cream
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Ginger
- ½ cup Applesauce
- ⅔ cup Vegetable oil
- 2 ¼ cups Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking soda
For the whipped cream frosting
- 8 oz Cream cheese room temp, full fat
- 1 cup Heavy cream cold
- ½ cup Powdered sugar
- ⅓ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the apple cake
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Wash, dry, and finely grate the apples using the small holes of a box grater with the peel on.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the grated apples, sour cream, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and kosher salt until well combined.
- Add the all-purpose flour and baking soda to the bowl. Whisk or fold with a spatula just until no flour lumps remain. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into your prepared 9x9-inch pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before frosting.
Make the cream cheese frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Add the room-temperature cream cheese and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Spread the frosting over the completely cooled cake using an offset spatula. Dust with ground cinnamon before slicing.
Notes
- Apple Selection: Use firm, tart apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn for the best flavor balance and texture.
- Grating Apples: Shred apples using the smaller holes of a box grater so the pieces melt into the batter without creating soggy pockets. Leaving the peel on is fine and adds extra moisture.
- Measuring Flour: Fluff your flour with a spoon, scoop it into the measuring cup, and level it off with the back of a knife. Packing the flour will result in a dense cake.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure the eggs, sour cream, and cream cheese are at room temperature. Cold ingredients will cause the batter to mix unevenly and can make the frosting lumpy.
- Cooling Time: Allow the cake to cool completely for at least 1 hour before spreading the cream cheese frosting, or the whipped frosting will melt.
- Storage: Keep the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can serve it chilled or let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Rachael says
The most delish apple cake I ever had!