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.
Barbara says
Made this for a Labor Day gathering- it was a hue hit! Milk because it’s what I had on hand; doubled the glaze (not gonna lie, I love icing), and added 1/2 tsp vanilla flavoring. Amazing!! Everyone wanted the recipe.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Yes and yes! Love that Barbara!
Sarah C says
I have just made this. It is SO delicious. I made a Gluten Free version and the recipe here for a group of friends coming this evening.
They both turned out brilliantly.
For the G F cake, I substituted the flour for the same amount of G F flour and added 1.5 teaspoons of xanthan gum powder. I also added I tbs of milk to the wet ingredients.
Instead of the icing I just sprinkled cinnamon powder over one of the cakes (so we know which was which) So of course I just HAD to sample it. Brilliant recipe, It took the full 35 minutes on fan 160.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Oh this is fabulous Sarah! Thank you for sharing your GF version with us.
Laurie says
I had a little trouble with cinnamon sugar topping, but otherwise, this cake was super moist and delicious!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Laurie, so glad you enjoyed it! Anything I can help with?
Jade says
Will this cake freeze well*
Jessica Holmes says
Yes it does! You’ll lose a little of the crispiness on top but it’ll stay soft and moist.
Taynya says
Very Easy recipe, I followed the recipe instructions and used an 8inch pan, it did over flow and took an extra 15 minutes to cook, from the centre. Very tasty cake and looks very good.
Purfect rise, will definitely make again with a different size pan.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Taynya!
Helen says
Just made this and it’s turned out really well. Tastes gorgeous and is light yet moist. Love it
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Helen!
Gina says
I doubled this recipe and made it in an oven-proof dish and served it warm with cream. It was amazing! Also didn’t have apples so used tinned pears, everyone loved it! Thank you.
Jessica Holmes says
Wow that sounds fantastic Gina!
Asiyah says
Hi just wanted to ask how long cake will last,
Thanks for the amazing recipe!
★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Hi, I find this cake keeps well for 2-3 days but any longer than that and I’d freeze the leftovers.
Chastity Leggett says
Hi, is there anything I can use in place of green yogurt? I have everything else, ingredient-wise, and I know not to leave it out. What can I use?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Chastity, the next best thing would be sour cream.
Martyne Gagnon says
I have also used 2% cottage cheese that I put through the blender and it worked well, but you loose the tangy of the yogurt. So, next time around I used alcoolized Vanila extract (Burbon Madagasca Vanilla) and it tasted better.
Jessica Holmes says
Oh wow, so interesting!
Michelle says
I have made this twice, the first time I didn’t put the cinnamon sugar on it before baking so I sprinkled it on top when it was warm. It was messy but still very nice. Even my husband who doesn’t like sweet desserts loves this recipe.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Love that Michelle!
Christine says
Super tasty and a lovely texture. I had to bake it for 35mins then cover it so it wouldn’t burn, as it wasn’t ready, so it went back in the oven for a further 10mins. It was beautiful but yes, let it fully cool done before drizzling because it just soaks into the cake otherwise. Will definitely make this again.
Jessica Holmes says
I’m glad you enjoyed it Christine! Thank you for your feedback.
Christine says
Super tasty and a lovely texture
Jessica Holmes says
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Janet says
I made this Cinnamon Apple Cake this week and it was delicious. I followed your recipe and didn’t change a thing.
When it first came out of the oven it looked beautiful but as it cooled the center sunk in. Any ideas what made it do that? I plan on making it again soon so hopefully I can solve that problem.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Janet, usually cakes sink when they’re under-baked. Could that be possible? Sometimes if there’s a lot of fruit, it can tricky to tell when it’s fully cooked. Since the middle is the last place to cook through, once it’s out of the oven, it can deflate as it cools. You’ll know if the middle is slightly wet or gooey. Here is an article I wrote that specifies the most common reasons cakes sink.
Janet says
Thank you for all the hints about my sunk in cake. I will be checking your list and making sure everything is right this time.
Eddie says
This cake is delicious! My first effort turned out very well, but I think I need to make it at least a few more times to help me perfect it! (Too delicious not to!)
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it Eddie!
Helen says
This is actually the best apple cake I have ever made. Followed the recipe to the letter. Amazing.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! Love that Helen!