This spiced apple cake is the perfect fall bake! Consisting of moist layers of apple cake infused with fall spices and a melt in mouth cinnamon buttercream, this cake is irresistibly delicious!
The toasted pecan coating adds another layer of amazing buttery flavor and texture. This combination of spiced apple cake, cinnamon buttercream, and toasted pecans, makes for a scrumptious dessert that is seriously irresistible!
What Makes This Apple Cake so Good?
- Moist apple cake infused with a aromatic mix of fall spices like cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cloves
- Smooth, melt in your mouth cinnamon buttercream frosting that compliments the spice cake beautifully
- Toasted pecan coating that adds texture and a rich buttery taste to this cake
- Easy and approachable recipe that is perfect for serving at gatherings
How to Make Easy Apple Cake
This apple cake recipe is amazingly easy to make and is packed with so much flavor from aromatic fall spices. The key to the moistness of this cake is applesauce. The applesauce adds a beautiful apple flavor and a soft, melt in your texture to this cake. The addition of all spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves nicely enhances the apple flavor in this cake making for a seriously delicious dessert. Here is what you will need to make recipe:
Key Ingredients
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Eggs
- Granulated Sugar
- Light or Dark Brown Sugar
- Unsweetened Applesauce
- Neutral Flavored Oil – like avocado or vegetable oil
- Vanilla Extract
- Spices – I used a mix of cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cloves
Tips for Making the Best Apple Cake
- Use Unsweetened Applesauce – using unsweetened applesauce allows you to control the overall sweetness of the cake. It also allows for the natural flavor of the apple to come through in the finished bake.
- Do not Overmix the Cake Batter – for a moist cake with a soft crumb texture, cake ingredients should be mixed just until a smooth batter is formed without any presence of unmixed flour/ingredients.
- Do Not Overbake Cake Batter – overbaking the cake will result in a cake texture that is dry and crumbly. Cake should be baked just until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean without any sticky, moist crumbs stuck on it.
Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
This cinnamon buttercream is my fave! The cinnamon flavor is just the right amount without being overwhelming and the texture is beautifully smooth making it the perfect addition to this cake recipe. Here is what you will need to make the buttercream:
Key Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter
- Confectioners’ (Powdered) Sugar
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Ground Cinnamon
- Vanilla Extract
To make buttercream frosting, cream the butter at medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy in appearance. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the powdered sugar and cinnamon until fully incorporated followed by the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and base of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula and mix the buttercream at medium-high speed for 30-60 seconds. The resulting buttercream frosting should be smooth and fluffy in appearance.
Cake Assembly
- Level cooled cakes with a serrated knife or cake leveler
- Place first cake layer top side up on serving platter
- Spoon and spread a heaping 1/3 cup of the frosting on top of cake
- Place the second cake layer top side down over frosting
- Apply a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake and refrigerate to set
- Apply final layer of frosting over chilled cake and smooth out with a bench scraper
- Make a swirl on top of the frosted cake using the back of an offset spatula
- Coat the sides and outer border of the cake with toasted pecans
How to Store
Spiced apple cake is best eaten the day it is baked. Leftover cake stored in an airtight container will last 2-3 days in the fridge and 1-2 months in the freezer. When ready to serve frozen cake, thaw overnight in the fridge to restore soft texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
CAN THIS CAKE RECIPE BE MADE IN ADVANCE?
Yes, apple cake may be baked in advance. Once cooled to room temperature, tightly wrap in plastic/cling wrap and keep in the fridge for up to 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 1-2 months.
Cinnamon buttercream may be prepared in advance as well. To store, transfer to an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 5 days. When ready to use, thaw at room temperature until soft enough to re-whip and pipe and/or spread.
What size baking pans should I use to make this recipe?
For this 6-inch two-layer cake, you may use a 6 x 2 inch or 6 x 3 inch round baking pan.
CAN THIS CAKE RECIPE BE DOUBLED FOR A LARGER SERVING?
Yes, for a larger serving, this recipe may be doubled and made into a 3 layer 8 or 9-inch cake.
Looking For More Scrumptious Eats, Checkout the Links Below:
If you make this recipe, please make sure to let me know by tagging me @nourishedendeavors on Instagram or by leaving a comment in the comment section down below so I can find out how this recipe turned out for you! If you have any questions, ask away! I would love to answer your questions! Happy baking!
PrintSpiced Apple Cake
Consisting of moist layers of apple cake infused with fall spices and a melt in mouth cinnamon buttercream, this cake is irresistibly delicious! The toasted pecan coating adds another layer of amazing buttery flavor and texture.
- Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 6–8 Slices 1x
Ingredients
Spiced Apple Cake
- 1 3/4 Cups (228g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 3/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Allspice
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 3 Large Eggs, Room Temperature
- 1 Cup (226g) Unsweetened Applesauce, Homemade or Store Bought
- 1/3 Cup (69g) Light or Dark Brown Sugar, Packed
- 1/3 Cup (67g) Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Cup (120ml) Neutral Flavored Oil i.e. Vegetable Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Cinnamon Buttercream
- 1 Cup (226g) Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature, Slightly Firm to Touch
- 2 to 2 1/2 Cups (240g) Confectioners’ (Powdered) Sugar, Sifted, Divided
- 3–4 Tablespoons (45-60ml) Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Assembly
1 1/4 Cup (165g) Whole Pecans, Toasted
Instructions
Spiced Apple Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325F(165C). Grease (2) 6” baking pans and line the base of each pan with 6” parchment paper circle cutouts.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, add the oil, sugar and applesauce. Mix ingredients at medium speed to combine, about 1 minute.
- Beat the eggs into the wet batter one at a time allowing the initial egg to be fully incorporated into the batter before mixing in the next egg. Next, mix in the vanilla extract.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients into the wet batter just until a smooth cake batter forms, about 1-2 minutes. Stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and base of the mixing bowl.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix the cake batter for an additional 30-60 seconds to ensure that you have a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Equally, divide the batter into the prepared baking pans and bake for 30-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
Cinnamon Buttercream
- In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter at medium high speed until it is smooth and fluffy in appearance, about 2-3 minutes.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon into the creamed butter. Gradually increase the mixer speed back to medium.
- Once all the sugar and cinnamon have been incorporated into the butter, mix in 3 tablespoons of the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract into the buttercream.
- If buttercream appears too thick, mix in additional cream 1/2 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency (thick but spreadable) is reached. If buttercream appears to be too soft, mix in the remaining confectioners’ sugar 1/4 cup at a time until a thick but spreadable consistency is reached.
- Increase mixer speed to medium high and mix cinnamon buttercream for an additional 30-60 seconds. The resulting buttercream should be smooth and fluffy in appearance.
Assembly
- Finely chop the whole toasted pecans and transfer to a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Level cooled apple cakes with a serrated knife or cake leveler. This will allow the cakes to be evenly stacked and assembled.
- Position the first cake layer faced up on a cake stand or serving plate of choice. Spoon about a heaping 1/3 cup of the buttercream onto the cake and spread into an even layer using an offset (angled) spatula.
- Place the final cake layer faced down on top of the first layer. Using an offset spatula, apply a thin layer of the buttercream over the entire surface of the cake and smooth out using an offset spatula (top of cake) and bench scraper (sides of the cake).
- Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30-60 minutes to allow the crumb coat to firm up. Apply a thick layer of the remaining buttercream onto the chilled cake and smooth out in a similar fashion like the crumb coat.
- Run the back of an offset spatula along the top surface of the cake in a circular motion starting at the border and ending in the center of the cake for spiral design.
- Coat the sides and the outer 1/2 inch border of the top of the cake with the finely chopped toasted pecans. You may not end up using all of the chopped pecans just enough to ensure that the sides and top border of the cake is fully coated in pecans.
Notes
- Spiced apple cake is best eaten the day it is assembled. Leftover cake stored in an airtight container will last 2-3 days in the fridge and 1-2 months in the freezer. When ready to serve frozen cake, thaw overnight in the fridge to restore soft texture.
- For a larger yield, recipe may be doubled for a 3 layer 8 or 9 inch cake.
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