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Apple Cinnamon Cake

This Apple Cinnamon Cake, is a moist delicious Fall Cake, made with apples and cinnamon. The perfect breakfast, dessert or snack cake. Your family is going to love it.

3 slices of apple cake on a white plate.


 

Over the years I have found that most Italians are not big on anything overly sweet. Even the classic Italian Tiramisu is not a really sweet dessert, creamy and delicious yes, sweet not too much. 

Most homemade Cakes or Breads are usually made with different fruits or even yogurt.   And if you want to add anything to a homemade cake then a dusting of powdered sugar is thing to do. Like most of my Italian cakes that I make they are from friends or family and of course this Apple Cinnamon Cake is no different!

Recipe Ingredients

  • Butter – softened
  • Sugar – granulated
  • Vanilla – vanilla extract
  • Eggs – large room temperature / 2 whole and 1 yolk
  • Vegetable oil – I use sunflower or cornflower oil
  • Milk – 2% or whole milk
  • Flour – cake/pastry flour or even all purpose
  • Cinnamon – perfect with apples
  • Baking powder
  • Apple – peeled and sliced
  • Lemon juice
  • Cinnamon – ground cinnamon
Ingredients for the cake.

How to Make Homemade Cake Flour

For every cup of all purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. Be sure to sift the flour and cornstarch together a couple of times, this way it is sure to be properly combined and lump free. Cake flour in cakes will give you a very tender texture and fine crumb, it will also help the cake to rise.

Why use room temperature ingredients?

When at room temperature, eggs, butter, and other dairy ingredients form an emulsion which traps air. While baking in the oven, that trapped air expands and produces a fluffy baked good. So be sure to remove the ingredients from the fridge 45-60 minutes before baking.

The cake on a white plate.

How to make an Apple Cake recipe

Toss together the sliced apples and lemon juice, set aside. In a small bowl mix together cinnamon and sugar, set aside.

Sliced apples in a bowl and cinnamon sugar mixed in a small bowl.

In a medium bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs one at a time, beat well to combine, then add the oil, vanilla and milk, beat until smooth.

Mixing the wet ingredients in a glass bowl.

In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, add to batter and beat on medium until smooth.

The dry ingredients whisked and beaten into the wet ingredients.

Spoon batter into the prepared cake pan, top with sliced apples (do not press down), sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mix. Bake for approximately 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool or serve warm. 

The batter and apples and cinnamon in the cake pan before baking.

Best apples for baking

I personally always reach for Royal Galla or Fuji, but you could also use Cortland, Empire, Crispin, Northern Spy, Newton Pippin, Rome Beauty, Granny smith, Winesap, Honeycrisp or even Braeburn.

How to serve the cake

I love to serve this cake on it’s own with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or how about a drizzle of caramel sauce or even a maple glaze?

How to store the Cinnamon Apple Cake

The cake is best stored in the refrigerator, wrap it well in plastic. It will keep 4-5 days in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature before serving.

Apple cake on a white plate with a slice on a white plate.

How to freeze it

Freeze, the completely cooled cake. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and foil, then place it in a freezer safe bag or container. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Thaw the cake overnight still wrapped in the fridge. Unwrap the thawed cake and bring to room temperature before serving.

When you are looking for an Apple Cinnamon Cake recipe then I hope you give this cake a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

A slice of cake on a white plate.

More Apple Recipes to try

3 slices of apple cake on a white plate.

Apple Cinnamon Cake

Rosemary Molloy
This Apple Cinnamon Cake, is a moist delicious Fall Cake, made with apples and cinnamon. The perfect breakfast, dessert or snack cake. 
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Servings 10 servings
Calories 284 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

FOR THE TOPPING

  • 2 medium apples (peeled and thinly sliced)
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

FOR THE CAKE

  • 3/4 cup butter (softened)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons milk (room temperature) (210 grams total)
  • 2 1/2 cups cake/pastry or all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt

For room temperature remove from the fridge approximately 1 hour before using.

    Instructions
     

    • Pre-heat oven to 350° (180° celsius). Grease and flour a 8 or 9 inch(20-22 cm) spring-form cake pan.

    FOR THE TOPPING

    • In a medium bowl toss together sliced apples and lemon juice, set aside.
    • In a small bowl mix together cinnamon and sugar, set aside.

    FOR THE CAKE

    • In a medium bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy, 2-3 minutes, then add the eggs and the yolk one at a time, mix well, add the oil, vanilla and the milk and beat until smooth.
    • In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, add to the batter and beat on medium until smooth approximately 1 minute.
    • Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan, top with sliced apples (do not press down), sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mix. Bake for approximately 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool or serve warm. Enjoy!

    Notes

    To make homemade cake/pastry flour, for every cup of all purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. Be sure to sift the flour and cornstarch together a couple of times, this way it is sure to be properly combined and lump free. 
    The cake is best stored in the refrigerator, wrap it well in plastic. It will keep 4-5 days in the fridge.
    Freeze, the completely cooled cake. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and foil, then place it in a freezer safe bag or container. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
    Thaw the cake overnight still wrapped in the fridge. Unwrap the thawed cake and bring to room temperature before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 365IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1.2mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

    Updated from December 28, 2014

    46 Comments

    1. I noticed that the number of eggs when viewing the recipe via US units is 2 (eggs). But when you toggle to Metric, it calls for 3 eggs. Which one is correct?

      This could be the reason why some readers reported good results using the metric unit because it has an additional egg.

      1. Hi Robin, yes I think you can substitute with potato starch, I have never used gluten free flour so I really can’t say. If you try it, let me know. Take care!

    2. 5 stars
      Hi, I made this Cake recently and it was amazing. The only thing was that there was a slight bitter after taste. Could this be from the cinnamon? Or maybe vanilla essence? I can’t figure it out.

    3. My apple pieces layer got burnt. And inside cake wasn’t baked…had to remove burnt apple topping to bake the cake. ..any tips??

      1. Hi Kirti, I think it could be that your oven temperature is off, if the oven is fine, then around the halfway mark check the apples and if they are browning too much cover the cake with foil (just place it on top like a tent) and continue with the baking. Hope that helps.

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