This Apple Cinnamon Cake combines timeless flavors in a fluffy, melt in your mouth cake. The textures are undeniably addicting.

Why Make This Apple Cinnamon Cake

Baking an Apple Cinnamon Cake is not just about creating a mouthwatering dessert; it’s about embracing the warmth and nostalgia of fall in every bite. The combination of tender apples, fragrant cinnamon, and moist cake is a true crowd-pleaser that’s perfect for family gatherings, cozy evenings, or simply treating yourself.

If you love apples and want to take full advantage of apple season, try my Apple Pastries as well, they are another huge crowd pleaser. My Apple Spice Muffins are a little more breakfast friendly as well.

Ingredients Needed

Apples. Use any apple you prefer! I always go for gala, fuji or granny smith apples. You don’t even need to skin the apples either, the skin doesn’t change the texture and it adds more fiber and nutrients so leave it on!

Apple Sauce. Use unsweetened apple sauce. This adds so much moisture to the recipe. I always keep individual apple sauce containers on hand for recipes like this.

Baking Soda. Be sure the baking soda isn’t stale, this can effect the baking process quite a bit. I always store an opened box in an airtight bag to keep it extra fresh.

All Purpose Flour. This is the base of the cake. Gluten free all purpose will also work well!

Oil. Use avocado, canola or olive oil.

All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below. 

Recipe Variations

All Purpose Flour. Use all purpose gluten free flour if you need. Be sure it is the blend.

Almond Milk. Oat or soy milk will work. Dairy milk will also work! in addition, buttermilk will work as well. If you use buttermilk, skip the apple cider vinegar.

Walnuts. You can omit these or use pecans instead for some texture.

Butter. Ghee or plant based butter will also work.

Apple Sauce. I highly recommend apple sauce but plain yogurt will work in place of the apple sauce.

Steps To Make This Recipe

Step One. Preheat oven to 350º degrees. Mix the eggs, brown sugar, apple sauce and vanilla together in a large bowl. Add in almond milk and oil, mix (photo 1). In a separate bowl whisk the flour and baking soda together. Combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients (photo 2).

Step Two. Fold in the chopped apples. I leave the skins on for this recipe because they soften to much you won’t notice them and they add in extra nutrients (photo 3).

Step Three. Pour batter into a parchment lined 9×13 pan. Smooth it out a bit on the top (photo 4). In a medium bowl, combine the softened butter, cinnamon, walnuts white granulated sugar (photo 5). Mix well and add this mixture in an even layer over the apple cake batter (photo 6).

Step Four. Place in the oven on the middle rack and cook for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and it is cooked through. Please note* ovens vary in temps so keep an eye on time, you may need to adjust a little.

Step Five. Let the apple cinnamon cake cook before slicing into. Optional to drizzle the two ingredient icing or eat it as it (both are great!)

To store leftover cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and keep it at room temperature for up to two days. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to a week. You can also freeze slices of cake in an airtight container for up to three months. Just make sure to thaw them in the refrigerator before serving.

Recipe FAQs

Recipe Tips

Don’t Over mix the Batter. Mix the batter until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a dense and tough cake. Use a gentle hand when folding in the dry ingredients and apples.

Test for Doneness. Use a toothpick or cake tester to check for doneness. Insert it into the center of the cake—if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the cake is done. If not, bake for a few more minutes and test again.

Allow for Proper Cooling. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack or cutting board to cool completely. This prevents it from becoming too fragile and falling apart.

To Make This a little Healthier, skip the added icing and don’t add walnuts, this will cut at least 120 calorie per serving.

Other Fall Recipes To Enjoy

If you loved this recipe let me know! Also, follow me on Instagram & Pinterest for even more fun recipes to make you feel good from the inside out. Thanks for being here.