Soft & Spiced Apple Pie Cake

This recipe for Soft & Spiced Apple Pie Cake is the perfect hybrid dessert. It has the tender crumb of a classic pound cake, but it is loaded with fresh apples and warm spices, giving you the flavor of an apple pie without the hassle of making a crust.

It usually comes together in one bowl and fills your house with an amazing cinnamon aroma.

Soft & Spiced Apple Pie Cake

---

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar

• ½ cup (110g) light brown sugar, packed

• 1 cup (226g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup (245g) buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice)

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp ground cloves (optional)

For the Apples:

• 3 cups apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into ½-inch pieces (Use a firm, tart apple like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)

• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

For the Cinnamon Swirl (Optional but recommended):

• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

For the Cider Glaze (Optional):

• 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar

• 2–3 tbsp apple cider (or milk)

---

Instructions

1. Prep the Apples

1. In a medium bowl, toss the chopped apples with 2 tablespoons of flour and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon.

2. Set aside. Coating them in flour helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake while baking.

2. Make the Batter

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan or a 9×13 inch baking pan.

2. In a large bowl (or stand mixer), cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 2 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined—do not overmix.

6. Gently fold the floured apple chunks into the batter.

3. Layer (Optional Swirl)

1. If you want a cinnamon ribbon inside the cake, mix the ¼ cup sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon in a small bowl.

2. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar over the batter. Pour the remaining batter on top, and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Use a knife to gently swirl it around.

4. Bake

1. Bake for 50–65 minutes (Bundt pan) or 40–45 minutes (9×13 pan), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

2. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes.

5. Glaze

1. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

2. Whisk together the powdered sugar and apple cider until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

---

Tips for the Perfect Apple Pie Cake

• Apple Choice: Granny Smith apples are the gold standard here. They are tart, which balances the sweet cake, and they hold their shape during baking so you don’t end up with applesauce.

• Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, make a quick substitute: add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup, then fill it with regular milk to the 1-cup line. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it curdles.

• Serving: This cake is fantastic on its own, but it’s absolutely divine served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Would you like a variation of this made in a slow cooker or as a layer cake?