This Apple Spice Cake has a soft, tender crumb, plenty of fresh diced apples, and warm, cozy spices. I also brown the butter to give it a rich, nutty flavor that makes this homemade cake taste extra special! It takes me right back to apple-picking season in New England, when fall baking was one of my favorite family traditions. I bake it in a simple 9×13-inch pan, which makes 15 generous slices and needs nothing more than a dusting of powdered sugar. Beyond all the sweet nostalgia, this apple spice cake is also incredibly budget-friendly, costing just $0.67 per slice (or $10.05 for the whole cake) to make completely from scratch!
The Apple Cake I Grew Up Baking
Growing up, my mom, dad, sister, and I would go apple picking in Massachusetts every fall. After wandering through the orchards, we’d bake this cake together, filling the house with the warm, rich scent of cinnamon and nutmeg. We’d even pack a few slices to enjoy on the road during our annual October trip to Salem!
Besides the triple hit of apple flavor from fresh diced apples, applesauce, and apple juice, the moisture in this cake is a solid 10/10! It’s SO soft and tender, with plenty of pieces of apple throughout. I also think browning the butter is well worth the few extra minutes. It adds a lovely toasted, nutty flavor that tastes amazing with the apples and warm spices. But I don’t rely on butter alone! I add a little neutral oil, too, because it stays liquid as the cake cools, helping the crumb stay soft and moist without sacrificing that delicious brown butter flavor. If you’ve got more apples to use up, my apple crumble is another family favorite, with cinnamon-spiced apples baked under a buttery crumble topping.
Recipe Success Tips
- Measure the apples after chopping. I’ve been making this cake for YEARS now, and one thing I don’t leave to chance is how much apple goes into the batter! I use a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp (or Fuji) apples because I like having both tart and sweet flavors in the cake. But apples vary in size, so the important thing is to have 4 cups of peeled, diced apples. Keep the pieces fairly uniform, about 1-2 cm, so they soften evenly as the cake bakes. With this much fruit, you don’t want oversized chunks or extra apples throwing off the texture.
- Use the spice mix you’ve already got. I make my own apple spice mix with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger because I like how the flavors balance each other. But there’s no need to buy four separate spices if you already have apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice in your pantry! You can try using 2 tablespoons of premixed spice in place of my homemade blend. Just know that the flavor may be slightly different, especially if your mix contains cloves.
- Mix the batter gently once the flour goes in. Add the dry ingredients a little at a time, mixing on low until they’re fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to catch any hidden flour, then fold in the diced apples by hand. Overmixing at this stage can make the cake tougher instead of soft and tender.
- Don’t let the apples fool your toothpick test! This cake is packed with fresh apple pieces, so it’s easy to accidentally poke a piece of fruit when checking for doneness. Start checking around the 45-minute mark, inserting a toothpick into the cake near the center. If you hit an apple (you might see some soft apple pulp on the toothpick rather than wet cake batter), try another spot. Look for a set center and a toothpick that comes out clean. Give it a few more minutes if underbaked and check again.
- Let the cake cool completely before finishing. I know this warm apple cake smells irresistible…but letting it cool helps the crumb set, making those 15 slices easier to cut and serve. Wait until it’s completely cool before adding the powdered sugar, too. Otherwise, the sugar will absorb moisture from the warm cake and disappear into the surface.
A Few Tricks for Better Brown Butter
Browning butter is easier than you might think! It’s one of my favorite tricks for adding a little extra flavor to baked goods, like my cherry blondies and this apple spice cake. But knowing when to take it off the heat makes all the difference! Here’s how I do it:
- Use a light-colored saucepan. I recommend stainless steel or another light-colored pan so you can actually see the butter changing color. Dark pans make it much harder to spot when the brown butter is ready.
- Watch for three stages. First, the butter melts and starts bubbling. Next, a layer of white foam forms as the water cooks off. Finally, the foam begins to subside, and the milk solids at the bottom turn golden brown. That’s when I start paying extra attention!
- Keep the butter moving. Give the pan a gentle swirl every so often, especially as you prepare the apples. This helps the milk solids brown more evenly and prevents them from sitting too long against the hot bottom of the pan.
- Trust your nose AND your eyes. After about 5-10 minutes over medium heat, the butter should smell toasted and nutty, with golden-brown flecks throughout. Remove it from the heat as soon as it reaches this stage and swirl occasionally as it cools. Don’t strain out those little brown flecks, either. They’re where all the brown butter flavor is!
Apple Spice Cake
Equipment
- 9×13-inch Pan
- Sauce Pan
- 2 Large Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
Apple Spice Mix
- 4 tsp ground cinnamon $0.21
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg $0.18
- ½ tsp ground allspice $0.05
- 1 tsp ground ginger $0.15
Cake Batter
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour $0.27*
- 1 tsp baking powder $0.04
- 1 tsp baking soda $0.01
- 1 tsp fine salt $0.01
- 2 Tbsp apple spice mix see above
- 1 stick unsalted butter browned and cooled, $0.72
- ½ cup neutral oil canola or vegetable, $0.32
- ½ cup granulated sugar $0.17
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed, $0.52
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce $0.32**
- ¼ cup apple juice or cider $0.07
- 3 large eggs room temperature, $0.42
- 2 tsp vanilla extract $1.08
- 2 Granny Smith apples peeled and diced, (about 2 cups) $2.18***
- 2 Honeycrisp or Fuji apples peeled and diced, (about 2 cups) $3.32***
Topping
- 1 Tbsp powdered sugar $0.01
Instructions
- Gather ingredients for cake and spice mix. Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Over medium heat, melt a stick of unsalted butter and keep an eye on it, watching for it to begin browning.
- Peel and core apples.
- Dice apples into small pieces, about 1-2 cm in size. While you’re preparing the apples, keep an eye on your browning butter, giving it a little swirl in the pan every so often, making sure the butter solids don’t burn.
- At the halfway point, your butter will look a bit foamy on top, and the butter solids will start to turn golden yellow.
- Combine dry cake ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt) and the apple spice mix in a large mixing bowl.
- Your butter will be perfectly browned after 5-10 minutes over medium heat. Remove the butter from the heat once it’s golden brown and the foam on top has dissipated. Let it cool for a few minutes, swirling it every now and then to help it cool and keep it from burning from the residual heat.
- Combine the wet cake ingredients (eggs, neutral oil, applesauce, apple juice or cider, vanilla extract) and the sugars (brown and granulated white sugar). Add the cooled brown butter and mix to combine.
- Little by little, add some of the dry mixture to the wet mixture. With a hand mixer on low, continue to add dry mix and blend until the batter is completely combined.
- Then, fold in all of the diced apples.
- Spray or butter a 9×13 inch pan.
- Pour the apple spice cake mix into the prepared 9×13 pan.
- Bake at 350℉ for 45 min or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.
- Let the cake completely cool, then top with powdered sugar.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
- Ratio: Dissolve 2 tablespoons of honey in 1 cup of room-temperature water (increase the amounts as needed).
- How to do it: Soak the chopped apples for 2-3 minutes, then strain well and refrigerate in an airtight container. The honey helps slow the browning process, and the slight coating adds a mild sweetness.
Nutrition
how to make Apple Spice Cake step-by-step photos
Gather your apple spice mix ingredients: You’ll need 4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp ground allspice, and 1 tsp ground ginger.
Gather your cake ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°F: You’ll need 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp fine salt, 2 Tbsp apple spice mix (as below), 1 stick unsalted butter, ½ cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable), ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, ¼ cup apple juice or cider, 3 large eggs (room temperature), 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 Granny Smith apples, 2 Honeycrisp or Fuji apples, and 1 Tbsp powdered sugar.
Start browning the butter: Add 1 stick of unsalted butter to a saucepan over medium heat and allow it to melt. Keep an eye on it as it begins to bubble and foam. You’ll continue browning the butter as you prepare the apples, so don’t wander too far from the stove! (If the butter finishes browning before you’ve finished prepping the apples, take it off the heat straight away so it doesn’t burn.)
Peel and core the apples: Peel and remove the cores from 2 Granny Smith apples and 2 Honeycrisp or Fuji apples.
Dice the apples: Cut the peeled apples into small, fairly uniform pieces, about 1-2 cm in size. You should have approximately 4 cups of diced apples altogether. While you’re chopping, keep checking the butter and swirl the pan occasionally to keep the milk solids from burning.
Check on the butter: This is what your butter will look like at the halfway point, a bit foamy on top and the butter solids will start to turn golden yellow. Keep a close eye on it as the color develops because it can go from golden to burnt surprisingly quickly.
Combine the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp fine salt, and the ingredients for the apple spice mix (4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp ground allspice, and 1 tsp ground ginger). Make sure the spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour so you don’t end up with concentrated pockets of cinnamon or other spices in the finished cake.
Finish browning the butter: After approximately 5-10 minutes over medium heat, the butter should be golden brown, with browned milk solids at the bottom and the foam on top beginning to subside. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes, swirling occasionally to release heat and prevent the residual heat from burning the solids.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate large bowl, combine 3 large eggs, ½ cup neutral oil, ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, ¼ cup apple juice or cider, and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Add 1 cup packed light brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar, followed by the cooled browned butter. Mix until combined.
Combine the wet and dry mixtures: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, working in small additions. Use a hand mixer on low speed to blend everything together. Give the sides and bottom of the bowl a quick scrape to catch any flour that hasn’t been incorporated, but avoid mixing longer than necessary.
Fold in the apples: Add all 4 cups of peeled, diced apples to the batter. Gently fold them in with a spatula until they’re evenly distributed. I switch to a spatula for this step so the apple pieces stay intact and I don’t overwork the batter.
Prepare your baking pan: Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray, making sure to coat the corners and sides. This makes it easier to get the apple spice cake out once baked.
Transfer the batter to the pan: Pour the spiced apple cake batter into the prepared 9×13-inch pan. Use a spatula to spread it into an even layer.
Bake the cake: Place the pan in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Be careful not to mistake moisture from a piece of apple for uncooked batter! If you see wet cake batter, continue baking for a few more minutes before checking again. The cake will be deeply browned and set in the center once done.
Cool, dust, and serve! Allow the cake to cool completely, then dust the top evenly with 1 Tbsp powdered sugar. Waiting until it’s cool helps keep the powdered sugar from disappearing into the surface.
Slice into 15 pieces and enjoy!
How to Serve Apple Spice Cake
I mean, it’s cake after all, so you really can’t go wrong serving it however you like! I think it’s delicious as-is, with a simple dusting of powdered sugar and a hot cup of coffee for an afternoon treat. But if I’m serving it for dessert, I’d warm up individual slices and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A drizzle of our easy caramel sauce would be delicious, too! And since this recipe makes 15 generous slices, it’s great for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving celebrations, or potlucks. You can even serve it straight from the pan without any extra fuss.
Storing Leftovers
Store your apple spice cake covered tightly or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can store it whole or cut it into individual slices for easy snacking! Let refrigerated slices come to room temperature before serving to soften the crumb. Or if you want a warm slice to serve with ice cream, microwave it for about 10-15 seconds before serving.
Freezing
Wrap individual slices (once completely cooled) tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or gently warm before serving. Save the powdered sugar for after thawing!
Try These Apple Desserts Next!
- If you’re craving a classic fall dessert, try our Homemade Apple Pie, with a buttery, flaky crust and sweet, cinnamon-spiced apple filling.
- For an even easier dessert, I think our Apple Dump Cake is perfect! It uses fresh apples, boxed cake mix, and melted butter for a delicious shortcut.
- I also love our Apple Crisp if you want tender baked apples with a crunchy, buttery oat topping.
- And if you’ve still got apples to use up, these Apple Cinnamon Muffins are a great option for breakfast, lunchboxes, or an afternoon snack!
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