Apple Spice Cake

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Apple Spice Cake – This delicious apple spice cake has the perfect blend of warm spices and a gorgeous texture, thanks to a double-dose of apple goodness.

Apple Spice Cake // One Lovely Life


Every so often, I post a recipe here that I just can’t seem to find the words to describe.

This is one of those recipes.

Please, may I beg you, implore you, beseech you, dear reader, to try this apple spice cake!!!

This isn’t your average apple cake. It isn’t your average spice cake. It is the heavenly best of both worlds.

Apple Spice Cake // One Lovely Life

3 Reasons To Love This Cake Recipe:

  1. It’s Got THE BEST Texture. This is the most moist cake I have ever EVER made. Thanks to the applesauce, butter, and sugar, it’s got a gorgeous texture you’ll fall hard for.
  2. It’s Perfectly Spiced. The spice amounts may seem like a lot, but when you bake it, everything blends together in the most beautiful synergistic way, and the end flavor is incredible.
  3. It’s Got A Double Dose Of Apple. The combination of grated fresh apple and applesauce really help the apple flavor shine.

BONUS REASON: I may also point out, that this cake is the PERFECT pair with my buttermilk syrup or some easy caramel sauce. Caramel apple vibes, anyone? Just saying.

Apple Spice Cake // One Lovely Life

Tips & Tricks For This Apple Spice Cake Recipe:

The Best Apples For Apple Cake. Not all 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 go totally mushy or mealy when baked. (Braeburn & Pink Lady are two other nice choices!)

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, 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 Gluten-Free? Yes! It should work. Or, you can make this gluten-free apple spice bundt cake I shared over at Sweets & Thank You.

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Apple Spice Cake // One Lovely Life

Apple Spice Cake


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.9 from 21 reviews

  • Author: Emily Dixon, One Lovely Life
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 1 (9×13) cake 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This delicious apple spice cake recipe has the perfect blend of warm spices and a gorgeous texture, thanks to a double-dose of apple goodness.


Ingredients

Scale

For The Wet Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened (8 Tablespoons
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup applesauce (I prefer unsweetened)
  • 2 apples, peeled, cored, and grated (I like Honeycrisp or granny smith apples)

For The Dry Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cups (270 grams) flour
  • 23 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×13″ metal pan with butter or spray.  
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 
  3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar with a hand mixer or spatula 2-3 minutes, until light, fluffy, and well combined.
  4. Mix in eggs, one at a time till well incorporated.
  5. Stir in applesauce and apples.
  6. Add the dry ingredients mixture and gently stir or mix till all dry ingredients are just mixed in. Don’t over-mix.
  7. Pour cake batter into the prepared baking dish..
  8. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
  9. Serve with buttermilk syrup, caramel sauce, or vanilla ice cream.
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 35
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

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117 Comments

  1. 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….

    1. 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.

  2. 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 🙂

    1. 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!

  3. 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!






    1. 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!

  4. 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.

    1. 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!

  5. 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.






  6. I made this but wasn’t a huge fan. I didn’t dislike it, but I prefer the old fashioned apple cake I make. I gave it three starts because it was a unique idea.






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