A deliciously easy Cinnamon Apple Cake made from scratch. This soft and tender Apple Cake is packed with fresh apples and features a crunchy cinnamon topping and a drizzle of sweet frosting.
Apple-licious 🍎
Can we take a moment to talk about the match made in heaven that is apple and cinnamon? This terrifically tender Cinnamon Apple Cake is my new fave.
It’s soft, it’s sweet and it’s jam-packed with fresh, juicy apples. The final touch is a sprinkling of sugary cinnamon and a sweet milk glaze.
Can I just say that I never thought a Cinnamon Apple Cake could taste so good. I baked quite a few cakes to get this recipe JUST right and when I finally landed on the winning recipe, I was beyond excited.
One bite of this soft and fluffy masterpiece and I was fist-pumping the air. After many failed Apple Cinnamon Cakes, I instantly knew this one was the winner. Of course, I had to have a few more slices just to be oh-so-sure.
When I first attempted this cake, I started by using oil as the main fat. This is because oil tends to add moisture to baked goods, like in my Olive Oil Brownies or my Pistachio Cake. I love using oil in cakes.
The first cake was lovely and soft and the taste was on point. But the edges were a little dry for my liking. So I moved on to see if butter would work better, while also slightly altering the amount of flour and sugar.
Let’s just say, it didn’t. The first butter version used melted butter and the cake was heavy, dense and not great. To add lightness and get back closer to the original version, I tried creaming the butter and sugar, like I do in my Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donut recipe. It was better, but still nothing rivalled the oil version.
So finally, I returned to oil, but used a little less flour and added yoghurt to ensure the cake was soft, moist and never dry. It was crowned the WINNER.
What you have here is a melt-in-your-mouth cake that’s studded with fresh apples. It boasts a sugar cinnamon crumble, that once baked, becomes crisp and flavourful.
The cinnamon topping blends perfectly with the juicy, chunks of apple. Then, just because we can, we drizzle the entire cake with a two ingredient sweet sugar glaze. It’s pure perfection.
Tips for making Apple Cake
- This Cinnamon Apple Cake is incredibly easy to make. You only need a bowl and spoon – no need for an electric mixer.
- You can use any kind of apple you like, I use red Royal Gala apples. You’ll need to peel and then chop your apple into roughly 1/2 inch squares – discarding the core.
- Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredient until combined – try not to over mix.
- The crumble is made using sugar and cinnamon. Mix together using melted butter until it clumps like sand. Sprinkle over the top of your cake batter – no need to be perfect here.
- Bake until golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- The final touch? Drizzle over the sweet sugar glaze and serve!
Watch how to make it
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Let’s Bake
Cinnamon Apple Cake
A tender Cinnamon Apple Cake drizzled with a milk glaze.
Ingredients
Apple cake
- 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 150 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 cup (approximately 1 large) red apple, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) Greek yogurt
Cinnamon topping
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Sugar glaze
- 30 grams (1/4 cup) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with baking or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add chopped apple and stir briefly to combine.
- In a separate bowl, add eggs, vanilla, oil and yoghurt. Whisk briefly just to break up the egg yolks.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and gently mix with a wooden spoon until combined – but be careful not to over mix. Spoon batter into prepared tin.
- To make cinnamon topping, combine cinnamon, sugar and butter. Mix together until lumpy and wet. Sprinkle over cake batter.
- Bake cake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the glaze, mix together sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk. Stir until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add an extra tablespoon of milk. Drizzle glaze all over the cake.
Jane E says
Absolutely gorgeous cake. So easy….. thank you for the grams as an alternative to cups!!!!! Cooked for 30 mins then decided it needed another 5. Lovely moist centre. Great light crumb. I added some cinnamon to the icing as frankly you can’t beat apple and cinnamon combo.
A long term favourite in the making 😋🤗🥰
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Jane!
JK says
Very easy recipe. I used Chobani vanilla cinnamon Greek yogurt ( 5oz). Would recommend two chopped apples instead of one, ( and with some vanilla ice cream on the side😊) Will make again. Thanks !
Jessica Holmes says
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for your feedback.
Deidre says
Absolutely beautiful. My grandchildren love it so it’s become a real family favourite.
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Deidre!
Vaishnavi Shah says
Hi Jess,
Thank you for this recipe….the cake came out so soft and moist…everyone in my family loved it. My best effort till date 🙂
One question though, can this cake be made without eggs?
Jessica Holmes says
So happy to hear that! And I haven’t tested the cake without eggs I’m sorry.
geraldine adamski says
The cake was amazing I did add ginger snap crumbs in the batter as well as the top, and 1/2 cup light brown sugar in the apple mix
Thank you
Jessica Holmes says
Wonderful!
Kimesha Hall says
Hi Jessica
I am Kim From Jamaica…omg love the cake … made it last night and the whole family loved it…cant wait to make it again!😁
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Kim, so happy to hear you love it! Thank you for the lovely feedback!
Alison says
Can I freeze this cake ?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes you can.
David says
I baked this for 35 minutes as suggested and it rose nicely in the oven. However upon taking it out, it subsequently sunk in the middle, creating a crater. Why is this?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi David, there can be many reasons why a cake sinks, but often it suggests the cake is underbaked. Every oven is different, so check your cake is cooked by inserting a knife into the centre – if it comes out clean you know your cake is ready.
ZoeyG says
I made this with sour cream because that’s what I had in my fridge and it turned out great! I also added an extra apple and some nutmeg.
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it Zoey!
Maryam says
Hi Jessica! I’m Maryam from Iran. Today my four years old son asked me to make him a cake and because apples are his favorites I decided to make an apple cake. It was a great hit! Thanks for your recipe… I used the yogurt I had made myself at home.
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed it Maryam! Thank you for your kind feedback.
Irum Ansari says
Amazing amazing cake
Ready in a jiffy and made my hotel room smell like home ❤
Legit ate it hot huffing and puffing, sitting next to the oven. No time to even take pictures 😂
Jessica Holmes says
Aw love that!
Jacqui Symons says
Thanks Kylie – a great recipe! I use 2 cups apples – doesn’t change the cake but I tell myself it’s just a little more healthy. I also use spelt flour and raw caster sugar
Kylie says
So quick and easy and a big hit with my family. Best apple cake I’ve made 👏
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! Love that Kylie!
Sandy says
Just made this with my 3 year old. He insisted on throwing in a cup of blueberries, and it turned out great! I wouldn’t have thought of adding more fruit to the recipe, but it totally works.
Jessica Holmes says
Sounds delicious Sandy!
Sandi says
Doubled the recipe but did not make the glaze. Personally, I think this was the best apple cake I have ever tasted. I reviewed many recipes as I wanted something that was a “sure thing” and this was it! Thank you, Jess!
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Sandi! Thank you for your kind review!
Jessica Holmes says
Amazing! Thank you for your kind review Sandi!