This cozy apple spice cake recipe has the perfect blend of warm spices and a gorgeous super-moist texture, thanks to a double dose of apple goodness!
Our Fan-Favorite Apple Spice Cake Recipe Is A Fall Dream Come True
Seriously. This apple cake recipe has been served at Thanksgiving, birthdays, Christmas Eve, ladies’ luncheons, and even made for weddings by professionals with rave reviews! It’s SUPER moist, deliciously spiced, and full of flavor.
🥣 EASE: This easy spiced apple cake is made in a sheet pan, which means it’s about as low-fuss as it gets! The recipe is made from simple ingredients, and the only skills you need are grating, stirring, and mixing.
🍎 FLAVORS: Warm spices and apple are the stars of the show here! Paired with our suggested buttermilk syrup (or some caramel sauce!), the flavors are next-level amazing.
🍰 TOP TIPS: For the best apple cake, I highly recommend weighing the dry ingredients where possible! Also: try the buttermilk syrup!!!
Happy baking! xo, Emily
Gather Your Ingredients
One thing readers LOVE about this easy recipe? The simple ingredients list! Let’s take a look:
The Best Apples For Apple Cake
Not all fresh apples bake the same, and some hold their shape better than others. Our two favorite kinds of apples for apple spice cake are sweet, tart apples, like Honeycrisp apples and Granny Smith apples.
Both have great balanced flavor that works well with the spices, and they won’t get mushy or mealy when baked. (Braeburn & Pink Lady are two other nice choices!)
How To Make Apple Spice Cake, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×13″ metal pan with butter or spray or line with parchment paper.
- Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter & Sugar. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar with a hand mixer or paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes, until light, fluffy, and well combined.
- Finish Wet Ingredients. Mix in eggs, one at a time till well incorporated, then stir in applesauce.
- Add Dry Ingredients, Then The Apples. Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir or mix just until the dry ingredients are mixed in. Next, add the grated apples and stir until evenly distributed.
- Bake. Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven 30-40 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. (This cake will bake to a deep brown, but if your cake seems to be getting too dark, feel free to loosely tent the pan with foil for the last few minutes of baking. Cool cake on a wire rack.
- Serve & Store. Cut cake into slices and top individual slices with buttermilk syrup, caramel sauce, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. (Or, frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting!) Store leftover cake covered in the fridge 2-3 days for best results, or 1-2 days at room temperature.
Serving Suggestions & Toppings To Try
This gluten-free apple cake recipe is packed with flavor, but I do recommend adding at least one little topping for serving. Here are my favorites:
- Buttermilk Syrup or Caramel Sauce. My FAVORITE way to serve this old-fashioned apple spice cake is with a generous drizzle of Buttermilk Syrup or Caramel Sauce.
- Ice Cream. A slice of slightly warm cake with a scoop of cold ice cream (and maybe some caramel sauce!) is one of the best fall desserts around.
- Whipped Cream. A dollop of fluffy whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of the cake is light and lovely!
- Cream Cheese Frosting. A classic cream cheese frosting is DELICIOUS with the spices in this cake! (If you plan to frost the cake, make sure to let cake cool completely before frosting or the frosting will melt!)
- Sautéed Apples. If you want to play up the apple flavors in this cake even MORE, you can top each slice with some cinnamon apples and a little scoop of ice cream or a bit of whipped cream.
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Apple Spice Cake
Measure Your Flour Carefully! To avoid a dense or gummy cake, take care to measure the flour properly. I recommend weighing the flour when possible, but at least use the scoop and level method if you don’t have a scale!
Can I Make This As An Apple Bundt Cake? If you’d like to make this in a bundt pan, I honestly recommend making this apple bundt cake recipe. If you choose to make a bundt with THIS recipe, make sure you grease the bundt pan properly first, as it’s a very moist cake and is more likely to stick. (I recommend adding sugar to the pan after greasing, which can help the cake come out.) Also follow these guidelines for converting cake recipes to fit different cake pans. It’ll take 50-60 minutes or so in a 10-12 inch bundt pan.
Can I Make This Cake Dairy-Free? Yes! Just use vegan butter (like Earth Balance). Then, top with a vegan caramel sauce or dairy-free vanilla ice cream instead of our buttermilk syrup.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Apple Spice Cake recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Apple Spice Cake
Ingredients
For The Wet Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened (113 grams/8 Tablespoons)
- 1 3/4 cups sugar (350 grams)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup applesauce (I prefer unsweetened)
- 2 cups peeled & grated or finely diced apples (I like Honeycrisp or granny smith apples)
For The Dry Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour or gluten-free flour* (270 grams)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
To Serve (Choose 1-2)
- Buttermilk Syrup (or Caramel Sauce)
- Whipped Cream
- Vanilla Ice Cream
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×13" metal pan with butter or spray or line with parchment paper.
- Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter & Sugar. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar with a hand mixer or paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes, until light, fluffy, and well combined.
- Finish Wet Ingredients. Mix in eggs, one at a time till well incorporated, then stir in applesauce.
- Add Dry Ingredients, Then The Apples. Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir or mix just until the dry ingredients are mixed in. Next, add the grated apples and stir until evenly distributed.
- Bake. Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven 35-40 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. (This cake will bake to a deep brown, but if your cake seems to be getting too dark, feel free to loosely tent the pan with foil for the last few minutes of baking. Cool cake on a wire rack.
- Serve & Store. Cut cake into slices and top individual slices with buttermilk syrup, caramel sauce, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. (Or, frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting!) Store leftover cake covered in the fridge 2-3 days for best results, or 1-2 days at room temperature.
Notes
- Flour. This recipe was developed years before we went gluten-free and works great with regular white flour (all-purpose flour). Now that we’re gluten-free, we use King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour. If you use another gluten-free flour blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum, or the cake will not turn out properly. (Do NOT substitute coconut flour or almond flour in this recipe.)
- Other Toppings. If you prefer, you can frost this cake with Classic Cream Cheese Frosting!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/apple-spice-cake/PS. This was one of the first recipes I developed for my site, way back in November 2008 before I’d learned a thing about photography. Here’s our original photos: (We’ve come a long way!😂)
This was amazing. Seriously. I used Honeycrisp apples. The buttermilk syrup and a bit of vanilla ice cream make it unbelievable. Great fall dessert.
I’m so glad to hear it!!! I couldn’t agree more. It’s the BEST this time of year!
I never thought I would make this but I was looking for recipes online since I had a whole bag of apples I knew I wasn’t going to eat all by myself and company coming over the next morning. This cake was the BOMB! All of my guests loved it. A friend said it reminded her of pumpkin bars. I made it in a bundt pan and topped it with buttercream frosting. Definitely adding this to my recipe book! It makes me happy to see others happy by food I prepared!
DELICIOUS! I’m so glad it was a win for you and your guests!
Absolutely a fantastic cake! My family LOVED it!
Very moist and yummy! Made it exactly as stated in the recipe. Great for breakfast with coffee.
Can this be made in a bundt pan?
It’s quite moist, so it may stick to a bundt pan. If it’s a bundt you’re after, we love this recipe!
As promised, it’s as delicious as hoped. The texture and moisture is very good. I didn’t have applesauce or cloves, so added an additional egg and a blend of Asian Five Spice Powder and Pumpkin Pie Spice — and will next time add sliced apples. Oh, I served it with Eggnog Ice Cream. Delicious!
That sounds delicious! So glad it worked out for you! (That eggnog ice cream combo sounds fabulous!)
Hi. Just out of the oven and looks delicious!
I’ll repost after it’s devoured!
I made today and my family loves it. Was easy to make, very moist.
So glad you loved it Deb! It’s one of my favorites.
Can this recipe be used for muffins?
Hi! I haven’t tried it but it’s quite moist, so it might just stick to the muffin liners. If it’s muffins you’re after, I’d recommend this recipe!
Will a cream cheese frosting go with this delicious looking apple spice cake, or is your buttermilk syrup better?
It’s totally a personal preference. I love the buttermilk syrup or caramel sauce, but if you’re a cream cheese frosting fan, you can absolutely use that!
I am going to make this cake on Saturday. Do you have any suggestions for baking at a high altitude (6200 ft.)? Usually it involves more flour & water.
Hi! I’m not at high altitude myself, but these high altitude baking tips are my favorite to recommend!
I’ve podted here b4 about how incredibly delishy this cake turns out, and always fab texture: I was gonna try and get creative, though, and add shredded carrots, maybe decreasing either the amount of apples or lessening the applesauce?? For balancing to get a good carrot flavor in as well..What do you think, is that going a tad too far from the recipe I love??
Hi Nina!
I love the idea of giving this a carrot twist, but I haven’t tested it yet. Apples typically have more moisture than carrots, so if you also reduce the applesauce, it might turn out on the dry side.
Again, since I haven’t tested this at all I can’t guarantee results, but if I were going to start with this, I might try using half apples/half carrots but keeping everything else the same. Or, you can try using all carrots instead of grated apples, but I’d keep the applesauce in for the first try! I’d love to know how it goes for you–happy experimenting!
Emily, every once in a while I would think dreamily about a homemade spice cake regularly served to me as a child in the cafeteria of my grade school many years ago. Last week, I finally decided to try and find a recipe and see if I could satisfy that craving. I am from a family of fabulous cooks and bakers, so I have a discerning eye for recipes. Yours looked particularly interesting, and I loved the detailed explanations that came with the recipe. Obviously, your recipe did not disappoint. This cake brought back great memories, as I enjoyed it with a dusting of powdered sugar, just like I remember from many years back. Thank you for this!
This review completely and totally made my day. I’m so glad it satisfied that nostalgic craving!
Hi Emily, thank you for the best apple cake recipe I’ve ever tasted, much less baked myself. I use gluten free flour, because we’re glutards, and people are surprised when I tell them because the texture is so perfect. I use a generous tablespoon of cinnamon and include powdered ginger in the spice mix as well. We have access to wild blackberries, so I either put some of those in or chop up fresh cranberries.
I made this recipe because I wanted an easy apple spice cake for company that loves spice cakes. It was a stellar hit and I had to print off the recipe to give to my guests. My husband literally ate the remainder of the cake within the next day-so I guess I’m making it again this weekend for him. The cake was easy, very moist, and very tasty. It’s definitely a keeper. (I made caramel sauce and served it with a good vanilla ice cream-was perfect). Thanks for the recipe!
This completely made my day! I’m so glad you loved it!
This cake is everything I look for in a cake! Super moist and delicious, spiced, and just all around great. I made this twice; once by the book, and once again but adding in some ground allspice, ground ginger, and some ground cardamom to the spices and WOW. I didn’t think the cake could get any better than it was, but adding those other spices sent it to an entirely different level! Thank you for sharing! This is being tucked into my ever-growing recipe box for sure! ♥
Oh, I’m so glad to hear that!!!
can you make this using just applesauce?
I never have, so I can’t guarantee your results will be the same…
Seriously, Emily, this is the most moist GF cake recipe. Perhaps ever! I also make it into muffins and it never fails. Thank you so much. Pat
Pat, THANK YOU for this kind comment! You totally made my day!
Can gluten-free flour be substituted? (the cup-for-cup style)
You probably can! It’s a pretty moist cake, so it’d probably do well!
My family went crazy over this cake!
I have not tried the recipe yet, but this will be included in my Thanksgiving dinner & maybe Christmas.
It’s AMAZING for the holidays! Hope you love it!
It was delicious and I plan to make it again and, again and, again. 😋
I’m so glad you loved it Joy!
How do you make the sauce?
Hi Edwina! It’s my buttermilk syrup recipe. Or you can make this homemade caramel sauce.
Do you use cake flour or all purpose flour?
I’ve used all-purpose flour 🙂
I have a carrot cake that I absolutely love. I threw out all my no-longer needed similar recipes. NOW I have my favorite apple spice cake recipes 😋. Into the trash go my now useless spice cake recipe. Thanks so much for the wonderful delicious recipe
Greg – What a sweet review! I’m so glad you love it!!!
Would it be likely this would work as a type of swiss roll? I know there’s recipes out there specifically for apple spice rolls, but this one always turns out so well, we’re hoping to keep to yours when trying it out. Thanks!
Sky – That’s a great question! I’ve never made it as a swiss roll before, so I’m not totally sure. It’s definitely a moist cake, which could mean it’s more flexible for rolling. But it’s also on the sticky side, so I worry it might not hold its shape. If you do give it a go, I’d love to know how it turns out! 🙂
OMG this cake is awesome!!!
It is the best apple cake I’ve ever made. I’m going to finish it with browned butter buttercream but had to sneak a taste lol.
Browned butter buttercream!!! I’m going to have to try that sometime!
Can I make this into mini bundt cakes?
Minda – I haven’t tried it in mini bundt cakes yet. It’s pretty moist, so I think it might have a tendency to stick.
This has to be the best apple spice cake i have ever made. My husband does not eat much cake but he sure finished this one off and asked me to make it again.
I’m so glad you loved it Janice! It’s my FAVORITE!
This cake was absolutely amazing. I tweaked it a bit, cut the apples into chunks instead of grating and sprinkled toffee chips on top before baking. I make my own applesauce with a tad of sugar but I add spiced rum to cook down w/the apples.
Really easy to make. Moist, flavourful, and very delicious!
I’m so glad you loved it Victoria! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
No recipe for the butter milk or caramel syrup
Victor – Sorry you had trouble finding it! It’s actually linked in the post with a blue highlight over the words. Here it is again. 🙂
Out of this world, my husband said when this cake is gone hurry and make another right away. The buttermilk caramel sauce was a must with it. Best cake ever!
I’m so glad you loved it! It’s one of my all time FAVORITE desserts!
My cake is currently in the oven. I have a question about the buttermilk syrup. Can that be used like a frosting on the entire cake or should it be spooned on individual servings?
It should be spooned onto individual servings 🙂 Hope you love the cake!
Amazing. Exactly like you would hope for. Moist.
I’m so glad you loved it!
So delicious! I made this for the first time last year at Thanksgiving and it was requested so many times that its making a comeback to this (2020) Thanksgiving menu!
I’m so glad to hear that Dana!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review–it helps so much! 🙂
if you dont have those individual spices can you use all spice instead and how much would you use?
Allspice is actually not a mixture of spices, it’s an individual spice, so I would not recommend it as a substitute here. If you have something like pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice, you might be able to get away with that; otherwise, I’d recommend waiting until you can get the spices called for since they’re really what makes this cake so special. I’m sorry!
This is literally the beat thing I’ve ever made in my entire life. It is a million times tastier than I ever could have imagined! I can’t wait to make this every fall. Thank you for sharing!
Karen – BEST REVIEW EVER!!! Thank you so much for sharing this!
I made this as cupcakes (baked for 20 mins) and topped with cream cheese frosting and they are excellent! Thank you for the recipe 🙂
That sounds scrumptious! I’m so glad you loved them!
I’m enjoying a lovely Fall day and your delicious cake recipe. When I felt the cool, crisp air outdoors, this kind of cake came to mind and I’m very happy that I made it. Important: there is one problem with the published recipe instructions. One line reads “Stir in applesauce, apples and spices” and the next line says “Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour”
Ack! You’re right! I’ve corrected it so they’re not listed twice in the instructions. thank you for catching my mistake!
This is every bit as indescribably good as you said in the beginning of the blog for this recipe! Just.absolutely. heavenly. I made it for the first time (and it won’t be the last either!) to take for the dinner at a friend’s home 2 months ago and besides me finding it totally delish (and the texture was soo incredible! ooh la la!!) my friend’s mom and her daughter , both serious home bakers, were also there and they both liked it so much they wanted me to give them the recipe!! That is one awesome apple -spice cake!! Thank you for sharing it!
Nina – WOW! I’m so glad you loved it. It’s one of my all-time favorite cakes! It’s been a hit at family get-togethers, and caterers have even made it for weddings! 🙂
Totally forgot to do the rating so I’m catching up NOW…hee hee.
Thank you so much Nina!!!
You’re very welcome! But I have another cake related question (actually it’s the first question, not another…) I lovingly made this awesome apple cake yesterday as a birthday cake for a young friend who loves it. It turned out wonderful again and I added- for her benefit because her sweet tooth is off the charts!- an easy caramel frosting, though I made it seperately and didn’t actually frost the cake yet (her dad’s diabetic so I was gonna just do half frosted, half bare). Well guess what! Shani and family LEFT TOWN to visit a family member in Atlanta; they won’t be back until next WEEK. You can probably see what I’m going to ask here; HOW LONG can this cake survive on ‘refrigeration life support’? And no matter how long, will the very LOVELY moist texture be ruined in there?? Let me know please!
Nina – Thank you for your patience! I usually freeze cakes if they won’t’ be eaten within 2-3 days. In the freezer, the texture should be preserved well. In the fridge, it’ll start to dry out after 2-3 days.
how about adding cardamon to this like you had in pear cake?
I bet that would be delicious! 🙂
about how much cardamom?
Totally up to you, but I’d start with only 1/8-1/4 tsp in addition to the other spices. 🙂
Looks outrageous #eating withmyeyesfirst
Can u poke hole in cake and add buttermilk syrup or should it be added separately?
Cindi – If you poke holes in the cake and pour the syrup in, the cake will get pretty soggy. I’d recommend serving it on top for best results.
I have a question—the directions say to add the apples, applesauce and spices, and the next step says to add the flour, dry ingredients and all the spices. I assume it doesn’t matter. I combined the spices with the flour and added all together.
I do like the flavor of this cake but will probably increase the cinnamon next time. However, this cake was not particularly moist compared to applesauce cakes I’ve had in the past—not sure why?? I even sprinkled some sugar over the apples and sauce which generated some liquid. I will need to make your syrup or something to pour over.
Thanks for posting the recipe.
Lolly – My mistake! Yes, it doesn’t matter either way. Sorry for the confusion!
Hi Emily
The cake was an absolute hit! I used Fuji apples, which are my favourite for everything. Thank you very much for the recipe; it certainly won’t be the last time I make it.
YAY! I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing!
What kind of flour for this recipe?
Melissa – This is an old recipe from before I went gluten free, so it uses white flour (made from wheat). I have tried it once using a gluten free 1:1 flour (Bob’s Red Mill) and it was pretty good!
Hi Emily!
I made your Apple Spice Cake recipe for a wedding cake this weekend and it worked perfectly. I made a triple batch (twice!) in two 14”x14”x2” layer pans. My client loves this cake recipe and wanted me to make this for the bottom tier of her wedding cake. It was beautiful!
I took pictures if you’d like to see them. I don’t think it will let me attach them herenkn the comments.
WOW! That’s amazing!!! I’d LOVE to see them! Send the pics to [email protected]
I can’t wait!
I emailed you just now. 😉
Thank you! I can’t wait to see!
This is years later, but what kind of apples do you use?
Kota – Many varieties work, but honeycrisp and granny smith are my favorite for this 🙂
Hi!
I’m trying to cook ahead. How long will the cake hold?
The cake will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge, but I recommend not making it more than 1 day in advance for best texture when serving. I hope that helps!
Will this recipe work as a bunds cake?
Becky – I wouldn’t recommend it, simply because it’s so moist it may not hold together when it’s removed from the pan. I’m sorry!
This was as delish as you promised! And the buttermilk syrup–i could just eat that alone 🙂 I made my own applesauce (unsweetened) and followed the recipe, and its fabulous. Will be making this again and again. Thank you!
YAY! It’s so good on the cake, isn’t it?! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing!
Hi
Is there an alternative for apple sauce??
Probably not– it’s there for flavor and texture. The only other option you could probably get away with it pear sauce.
OMG!!! Looks amazing!
I’m guessing white sugar?
Can’t wait to make it 😀
Yep! Plain old white sugar 🙂
Comments were made a couple years ago so not sure if its too late to comment?! I sooo want to make this. Do you use sweetened or unsweetened applesauce? Can it be chunky or should it be smooth? I will make my own 🙂
Patti – I use unsweetened, but any would work! As for texture, I’ve used smooth, I’ve used lumpy, and both work great! It’s one of my favorite recipes. I hope you love it!
Thanks so much Emily! Going to make it right now!
I would like the recipe to your buttermilk syrup please : )
Lynna – no problem! Here’s a link to that post: https://www.onelovelylife.com/buttermilk-syrup/
Can I please have your buttermilk & Carmel sauce recipe?
Thank you
I’m not sure about Lynna’s, but my buttermilk syrup recipe is right here 🙂
Hi Emily,
I just had to tell you: You are making me a star! I made your apple spice cake with your buttermilk syrup and brought it to share at my office. Everyone LOVED it! I’ve received a ton of compliments! It’s totally boosting my self esteem, just what I needed today. I just wanted to thank you for being so inspiring and talented and sharing it all! I wish you had a cookbook….
Mel, I can’t tell you how much you just made my day. Thank you! It was the boost I needed. As for a cookbook, maybe someday 🙂 I’d love to.