Moist, packed with cinnamon, and loaded with apples, this Fresh Apple Cake is a treasured recipe from my stepdad’s Uncle Al. The apples do the heavy lifting for moisture, giving each bite a moist crumb and rich, dense flavor! A slice of heaven!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Susan wrote: “I made the apple cake. I was worried with how thick the dough was that it wouldn’t bake well, but it did. It was moist and delicious. I would add more cinnamon next time. It is a lot of batter. I did use the frosting, and it was a great addition.“
Everything You’ll Love About This Fresh Apple Cake
This fresh apple spice cake has been baked and loved in my family for generations, and now I’ve made it oodles of times myself! I first learned about this apple cake recipe from my stepdad, who learned it from his Uncle Al. It’s an old-fashioned recipe, with a heavy apple presence and a dense crumb. A truly unique kind of cake. Made without butter, meaning it’s dairy-free, but it’s a winner every time!
I’ve kept the heart of Uncle Al’s recipe intact while making the directions foolproof, so you can enjoy the same warm, cinnamon-scented slices we’ve been savoring for years. If you follow the steps and trust the process, you’ll have a dessert worthy of becoming your family tradition, too!
Because I bake at high altitude, I work with a group of seasoned home bakers across the country who help test my recipes at different elevations. So no matter where you live, you can bake with confidence knowing this cake has been tested to turn out beautifully! Just scroll down to see two of their gorgeous cakes, and don’t miss the sweet comment from Susan above.
Apple Cake Ingredients
- Vegetable Oil: Keeps the cake incredibly moist! I like to use avocado oil.
- Eggs: Bind the batter and help the cake rise. I use large room-temperature eggs in my baking.
- Granulated Sugar: I use all-natural cane sugar in my baking, but you may use white granulated sugar if you prefer. I’ve never tried with brown sugar, but why not! Dark or light brown sugar would both work, or a combination.
- Fresh Apples: I always use fresh, juicy apples in this cake, no canned or cooked apples here! The original recipe called for unpeeled chopped apples, so that’s how I make it every time. Leaving the peels on adds great texture, but you can peel them if you prefer a softer bite. I recommend sweet-tart varieties like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, but Pink Lady, Jonagold, and Gala all work beautifully too.
- Vanilla Extract: Brings warm, aromatic flavor! Try bourbon vanilla for extra richness.
- All-Purpose Flour: I use unbleached all-purpose flour in all of my baking.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances the flavors of both the cake and the apples.
- Cinnamon: Adds cozy, spiced warmth that pairs beautifully with apples.
- Baking soda: Helps the cake rise and creates a tender crumb.
- Walnuts (optional): Add a nutty crunch that complements the tender crumb.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
This is delicious with a layer of cream cheese frosting, but a simple glaze would work too. Try this brown butter glaze or keep it naked or with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
- Butter & Cream Cheese: Make sure they are room temp for the smoothest frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar.
- Milk or Cream: Adjusts frosting consistency for easy spreading.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Watch how to make Uncle Al’s Apple Cake
The Best Apples for Apple Cake
I’ve tried them all, and I’ve never met an apple I didn’t like in this cake. My favorite is Honeycrisp for its sweet-tart balance and juicy texture. A mix of Granny Smith apples (tart) with a sweeter apple like Gala, Fuji, Red Delicious, or Braeburn works beautifully, too. The key is using fresh, crisp apples that hold their shape during baking.
How to Make Apple Cake
Step 1 – Prep the Dry & Wet Ingredients Separately
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a tube or bundt pan well.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, with an electric mixer or by hand, beat oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and well-combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.
Step 2 – Mix the Cake Batter
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until incorporated; the batter will be very thick, as shown in the picture below, similar to cookie dough. Fold in apples (and walnuts if using) until evenly distributed; batter will loosen as apples release moisture. It may be hard to fold in at first, which is why I like using my mixer. Mix a few times, let it rest, and then come back to mix again. It will start to loosen up, promise!
Step 3 – Bake & Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
Spoon batter into the pan (9×13, bundt pan, or my favorite, a tube pan, may also be made in a 10″ springform pan), smooth the top with a spatula, and bake 55–65 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the cake is browning too quickly, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top.
Beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Mix in vanilla and powdered sugar on low, then increase speed, adding milk or heavy cream as needed until frosting is light and smooth.
Step 4 – Assemble & Enjoy
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely before frosting or dusting with powdered sugar. Pipe or smear the frosting on top.
Serving Suggestions for Fresh Apple Cake
This spiced cake is delicious served on its own, but can also be served:
- Warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle of caramel sauce for dessert.
- At room temperature with a cup of coffee for an afternoon treat.
- With a dollop of whipped cream for a lighter topping.
- For brunch, pair with a savory dish like my hash brown crust quiche.
How to Store Apple Cake
Room Temperature: Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days (especially without frosting).
Refrigerator: If frosted, especially with cream cheese frosting, store the cake in the fridge for up to 5–6 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Freezing (Unfrosted or Frosted):
- Whole or Sliced Cake: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, or place in an airtight freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2–3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for a few hours. If frosted, avoid microwaving to keep the frosting from melting or separating.
Fresh Apple Cake FAQs
Yes, but thaw them completely and drain excess liquid before using to avoid excess moisture. Sometimes frozen apples can lose a bit of brightness. Tossing them with a squeeze of lemon juice, a sprinkle of sugar, or a pinch of cinnamon can bring that fresh flavor back.
Too much liquid from overripe or thawed apples can cause sogginess. Make sure apples are crisp and not overly juicy, and measure them loosely, not packed.
A skewer or toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown and spring back lightly when pressed.
Variations & Substitutions
- Spices: If you love certain spices, add more! Nutmeg, allspice, cloves, or ginger for a more layered spice flavor. Try using some apple pie spice.
- Raisins or Dried Cranberries: Add ½ to 1 cup for a little chew and sweetness.
- Coconut: Sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut (¼ to ½ cup) adds texture and subtle flavor.
- Chopped Dates: Common in Southern apple cakes, they add richness and natural sweetness.
- Applesauce: Swapping ¼ to ½ cup of oil for unsweetened applesauce reduces fat and adds moisture; mind you, this is already a MOIST cake!
- Buttermilk or Sour Cream: Some recipes add ¼ to ½ cup for extra moisture and tang; this would replace part of the oil or one egg.
- Dairy-Free Apple Cake: Your apple cake is naturally dairy-free if you skip the cream cheese frosting! Or use your favorite plant-based cream cheese, butter, and milk and make dairy-free frosting.
Gluten-Free Apple Spice Cake
For a gluten-free apple cake, use a combination of 1:1 gluten-free flour and either almond flour or oat flour for the best texture (my favorites are King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill). A good ratio is about 2 ¼ cups gluten-free 1:1 flour plus ¾ cup almond or oat flour. Let the batter rest for 10–15 minutes before baking to allow the gluten-free flours to hydrate properly and hold together better when baked.
High Altitude Tips
If you’re baking above 5,000 feet, a few small tweaks can make a big difference. Reduce the sugar slightly to 1½ cups and the baking soda to about 1¾ teaspoons. At elevations over 7,000 feet, bump the eggs up to 3 and drop the baking soda to 1½ teaspoons. No need to adjust the flour. I also recommend baking at 375°F and keeping an eye on the cake around the 50-minute mark, every oven is a little different up here!
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Video
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients (Mix well)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil I use avocado oil, but refined coconut oil works too.
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten, room temperature (3 eggs for altitudes above 7,000 feet)
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar I use all-natural cane sugar (1 ½ cups sugar for high altitude)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract try using bourbon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients (Sift Together first 4)
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour no change for high altitude
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt if using table salt, use a little less
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon Use more or less for a more cinnamon spiced flavor
- 2 teaspoons baking soda reduce 1 ¾ teaspoons for high altitude
- 4 – 5 cups apples chopped, unpeeled (see note 1)
- 1 cup walnuts optional, coarsely chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional) (see Notes)
- ¼ cup salted butter room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ – 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk or cream if needed for spreadable consistency
- Optional ½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a 10-cup tube pan or Bundt pan with baking spray or brush butter or oil over the entire pan. This can also be made in a 9×13-inch pan, baked for a slightly shorter time.
- Mix together the wet ingredients (first 4 ingredients) in a bowl using a stand mixer or a hand mixer until smooth. Until the sugar is mixed well and dissolved. It may also be made by hand.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Add the wet ingredients, beating on low for about 1 minute, just until the flour is incorporated.3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons baking soda
- The batter will become like cookie dough. Very thick! The apples will add a lot of moisture to the batter. You need to trust the process.
- With the mixer on low, or get your arm workout in and stir by hand; incorporate the apples and walnuts (if using), stirring for a minute or two. Then, give it a rest and mix again. The batter will begin to loosen as it absorbs the moisture from the apples. Repeat until spoonable.4 – 5 cups apples, 1 cup walnuts
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it. You can let the batter sit (covered in the fridge) overnight.Bake in a preheated oven for 55-65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, place another cooling rack over the top, and invert to finish cooling on the rack. I like using the flat, baked side as my top, so once it’s out of the pan, I invert it once again to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting, if you are using it (it's delicious all on its own or sprinkle with a little powdered sugar). Place the butter and cream cheese in a bowl and beat until light and smooth, add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar on low, until blended, then increase speed to medium-high adding a little milk or cream if needed to obtain the desired consistency. Spread or pipe onto cooled cake. If desired spinkle with walnuts.¼ cup salted butter, 4 ounces cream cheese, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 ¾ – 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk or cream, Optional ½ cup chopped walnuts
Notes
- If you prefer the apples not to be chunky and visible in the batter, chop them fairly small; if you want chunks of apples, coarsely chop them. I do it somewhere in between. I’ve always made this, keeping the peels as the original recipe states, but if the peels bother you (their texture melts into the cake, so you don’t taste them), then feel free to peel your apples. I used 3 medium to large apples, which amounted to about 5 cups of apples. The more the better in my book!
- I use this baking spray – it’s my favorite and always releases!
- The original recipe used a double batch of frosting (with or without additional walnuts) spread onto the cooled 9×13-inch cake. Half the recipe is still a very thick frosting on the tube cake. Uncle Al had a sweet tooth!
- The original instructions were to crack the eggs over the apples, then add sugar, cinnamon, oil, and nuts. Mix together with a fork. Sift the flour, salt, and soda together, then mix them all with a fork. Grease a 9×12-inch pan, bake 55-60 minutes. Frost if desired.
- Sugar: Reduce to 1 ½ cups
- Eggs: Only above 7,000 feet, use 3 eggs (instead of 2)
- Baking Soda: Reduce to 1¾ teaspoons, down to 1 ½ above 7,000 feet.
- Flour: No change needed
- Bake at 375°F (190° C) and start checking at about 50 minutes.
- Add ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ginger, or allspice for a deeper spice flavor, or try using apple pie spice.
- Swap walnuts with pecans or leave out the nuts entirely
- Stir in ½ cup raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dates for extra texture
- Mix in ¼ cup shredded coconut for a subtle twist
- Add 1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest for a bright citrus note
- Use brown sugar or a mix of brown and white sugar for a richer flavor
- Whole or Sliced Cake: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, or place in an airtight freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2–3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for a few hours. If frosted, avoid microwaving to keep the frosting from melting or separating.
Nutrition
natalie
my family devoured this! so nice and moist
That makes my day, thanks!
Debbie
Hi Kathleen! Now that I have a chopper, I’m going to buy some apples and make this! But since there are only 2 of us, I’ll make 1/2 a recipe and bake it in my 9×9 pan
That sounds perfect Debbie. Report back and let me know how it turns out. Is sooo good! Like something Gramma made!