Cinnamon apple cake is equally perfect as a fall dessert or breakfast!
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Jump to RecipeI know most people lean pumpkin when it comes to fall baking, but I’m 100% team apple! So after heading to an apple orchard a few weeks ago, I knew it was time to perfect an apple cake recipe.
Cinnamon apple cake is a perfect fall coffee cake. I love making a special holiday breakfast—yes, even on a food-centric day like Thanksgiving—and this one is perfect because it’s a make ahead recipe.
Don’t get me wrong, it works as an easy dessert as well. The cinnamon swirl and simple icing drizzle reminds me of my favorite Christmas morning coffee cake! This one has a more breakfasty texture (whatever that means); it’s delicate yet dense because of the introduction of apple chunks and crackly cinnamon topping.
Choosing the right apples is crucial for any apple baked goodies. For this cake, I chose two granny smiths and one stayman. Stayman was a new type to me, but it’s a crisp red apple with some sweetness and a bit of tart! You want apples that can stand up to the heat and not turn to mush in the oven.
This cake is best as a make-ahead. You can dig in it after it’s cooled a bit if you can’t wait, but know that it’ll fall apart into a delicious mess if you cut into it before it’s fully cooled down.
Don’t skip the layering step! If you dump it all in at once, all the apples will fall to the bottom. Layering the apples and cinnamon help some of them stay higher in the cake.
To get the right texture, make sure to to not overmix the cake batter. It’s better to add the butter (the last step of the batter) before the milk and egg mixture fully incorporates. Otherwise you’ll end up with a gluey mess that’s not great.
The icing seems like an extra step, but don’t skip it! It adds a nice pop of sweetness at the end.
Tools you’ll need: mixing bowls, 8×8 baking dish.
Cinnamon Apple Cake
Ingredients
Preparing the apples
- 3 apples medium
- 4 Tbsp granulated sugar (50 g)
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
Preparing the cinnamon swirl
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar (150 g)
- 2 Tbsp cinnamon
Preparing the cake batter
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (360 g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 ¼ cup milk whole (300 ml)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs large, at room temperature
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter (110 g, 1 stick)
Preparing the glaze
- 1 ⅔ cup powdered sugar (200 g)
- 2½-3 Tbsp milk whole (40 ml)
Instructions
- First, general prep: preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt the butter by microwaving in 20-second intervals until it's just melted, and set aside. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- Mix the cinnamon swirl in a small bowl.
- Peel the apples and dice into small cubes (about 1 cm). Toss with the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Make the cake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add the milk and vanilla. Gently pour the liquid into the dry ingredients, whisking together until just combined. Don't overmix! Gently stir in the melted butter, stirring only until just mixed.
- Pour half the batter into the cake pan, then add half the apples and half the cinnamon swirl mix. Gently stir a bit (easiest with a knife) to distribute the apples and swirl the cinnamon. Repeat with the rest of the batter, apples, and cinnamon.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan.
- While the cake cools, stir together the glaze ingredients. Add enough milk to make it runny and smooth without going too liquid.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cake when it's either fully cooled or slightly warm if you can't wait!
Cinnamon apple cake is my new favorite fall dessert (or breakfast)!
Want more apple recipes? Try my caramel streusel apple pie, a classic apple pie, caramel apple cheesecake, or streusel apple muffins!
