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, like in my Easy Peach Cake, 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.
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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 or flavourless 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 sugar, cinnamon 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.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: Calories: 310 Sugar: 25 g Sodium: 143.8 mg Fat: 14.1 g Carbohydrates: 42.7 g Protein: 4.8 g Cholesterol: 42.2 mg







Snezana says
The best and was apple cake I have ever had it’s a family favourite
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! So good to hear!
Shikha says
Your recipe is amazing and cakes have turned out well.
One doubt- I have used a 9 inch round cake pan. Is it okay?
Can a rectangle pan be used?
My cake comes out well except it’s moist and it sinks in the center 🙁 any suggestions on how to fix that? Thank you.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi, yes a 9-inch pan is fine. Your cake just might be a bit thinner and cook slightly faster. If your cake sinks, it could be slightly underbaked in the middle. Here’s a post I wrote with some of the most common reasons why cakes sink which might be helpful. .
Shikha says
Thank you for the suggestions.
I will be watchful of the baking soda and powder and also not add an extra apple.
Thank you so much. The cakes are always yum. It’s just the center wasn’t appealing and wanted your guidance. Thank you.
Elisa Vásquez says
We discovered this recipe during the pandemic when we were bored at home, and we haven’t stopped baking this one since then. We absolutely love it and it is great to do it with my child, as it is very easy and safe. Thanks so much.
Jessica Holmes says
Oh I love hearing that Elisa! So pleased you and your family enjoy it.
Mim says
We were given a bunch of apples from our neighbour’s tree and I stumbled across your recipe by chance on Google. Oh my goodness- this cake is incredible! The whole family came back for a second piece it was that good. So moist and fresh!
Made a few subs- I used wholemeal spelt flour with a tablespoon of custard powder in the place of plain flour, added 2 extra apples and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the batter.
Recipe has since been added to my printout file of family faves!
Jessica Holmes says
Hooray! I’m so happy you found me and that you loved this recipe Mim!
Melissa says
Was a hit with the family.
I grated 2 apples and squeezed out most of the juice to avoid making it too wet. I also added cinnamon to the cake mix. Probably too much of the sugar on top, not sure if my scale was out and I measured too much. But it was delicious.
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it Melissa!
Muhammad Ahmad says
your recipe is so good ,delicious and economical . cake is very delicious and moist . without sugar glaze it is also very yummmy and sweetness of the cake is very good for those who are weight conscious. I am Khadija from Pakistan. Thanks a lot
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it!
Marion says
Hi can I use plain fat free yogurt
Jessica Holmes says
Hi, full fat is always best, but it will work!
Cristina says
Loved it, I made it for our breakfast buffet at the hotel I work at. It’s so good. I’ve started adding a second apple. The clients and my co-workers ask for the recipe.
Jessica Holmes says
How cool is that! Love it!
Marybeth says
So very good! Moist! I have a family apple cake recipe that uses oil, also uses cocoa powder. I mixed your recipe with my old family recipe by adding in some cocoa powder. It was delicious. Love the Greek yougart in it and the two toppings. Thanks for sharing
Jessica Holmes says
Oh that sounds like an interesting twist!
Kenneth Bell says
How long in the oven pls
Jessica Holmes says
Hi, cook time is mentioned in step 6 of the recipe. I recommend checking the cake at the 30-35 minute mark. Hope you enjoy it!
Varsha says
I have made it 3 times (no glaze) already and has been a hit everytime! Had to decrease amount of melted butter else would become a paste instead of crumb.
Such a simple recipe that i made it for my sis -with my nephew following the recipe and me just supervising- on mothers day. ❤️
Varsha says
I also added cinnamon and walnuts in the cake batter.
Jessica Holmes says
Oh brilliant! So happy to hear that Varsha!
Eileen says
Could you exchange rhubarb for the apple in this cake ?
I made the apple cake and my family loved it as it wasn’t heavy it was light and moist … I have rhubarb to use up and was just wondering if it would work in the recipe
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Eileen, I haven’t tried rhubarb but I think it would work. Just don’t add too much as it will release more liquid than apple – but should still be tasty.
Deborah Walker says
Beautifully moist and flavoursome. I added blackberries and it was yummy. Will definitely use this recipe again
Jessica Holmes says
Blackberries sound divine!
Linda says
Very nice but cake would be even tastier if you added cinnamon to cake mixture as well as the topping.
Jessica Holmes says
Thanks for your feedback Linda!
Donesa namoc says
Very good and the texture esackly excellent
Violetta says
nice and simple
Helen Baharom says
Made this for a picnic. Absolutely delicious!! Everyone wants the recipe!!
Jessica Holmes says
Brilliant! Love that Helen!