From pumpkin spice to cinnamon sugar, fall is full of decadent flavors that warm you from the inside-out. One of our favorite recipes to make when autumn rolls around is this rustic Apple Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting, which makes the most of fall’s best flavors like fresh apple, pumpkin pie spice and toasted walnuts.
This layered cake is so delicious, it inspired our friends over at Bustle to develop a recipe for hand-held, air-fried apple pies with a brown sugar glaze. Be sure to check them out after learning how to whip up this apple spice cake.
How to Make Apple Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
This rustic apple spice cake recipe comes from Taste of Home reader Jennifer Owen of Louisville, Kentucky. Jennifer says, “I am a healthy eater most of the time, but this apple spice cake is worth the splurge!” And we have to agree. Here are some more indulgent dessert recipes you’ll want to dig into.
Ingredients
- 4 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1-1/2 pounds)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts, toasted
Brown Sugar Frosting:
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts, toasted
Yield: 16 servings
Tools
- 2 9-in. round baking pans
- Parchment paper
- Knife
- Food processor
- 3 large bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Whisk
- Toothpick
- Wire racks
- Offset spatula
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the Cake Pans
First, preheat your oven to 350°F. Then, prepare your cake pans by lining two 9-inch round baking pans with parchment paper and thoroughly grease the pans. Check out these tips on how to properly grease a cake pan.
Step 2: Chop the Apples
Peel the apples and then chop them into roughly 1-inch cubes, discarding the peels and core. Transfer the apples to a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped, being sure not to process them too much. You’re looking for the apples to still be a bit chunky, rather than like applesauce.
Step 3: Mix the Cake Batter
In a stand mixer, beat sugar, oil and vanilla together. Add the eggs one at a time until everything is fully combined. If you don’t have a stand mixer, no worries! A hand mixer will work just as good.
Once those ingredients are combined, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Next, alternatively beat the dry ingredients and buttermilk into the wet ingredients, stopping every so often to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl. When all of the dry ingredients and buttermilk are added, stir in the apple chunks and chopped toasted walnuts.
Editor’s Tip: Toasted walnuts add depth and a wonderful nuttiness to this cake. If you bought raw walnuts by mistake, don’t just toss them into the batter. Instead, learn how to toast nuts with our four easy methods.
Step 4: Bake the Cake Layers
Divide the batter evenly between the two greased cake pans and bake them 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
When the cakes are done, remove from the oven and let them rest on your counter for about 10 minutes. This gives the layers a chance to firm up a bit and will make it easier to remove them from the pans.
After 10 minutes, gently transfer the cake layers to a wire rack, remove the parchment paper and let them rest until they have cooled completely.
Editor’s Tip: Cake baking can be finicky. Read up on the most common cake mistakes, and how to avoid them.
Step 5: Make the Frosting
While the cake is cooling, whip up your brown sugar frosting. In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese with the butter, confectioners’ and brown sugar, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Cover and store the frosting in the refrigerator until the cake has cooled.
Editor’s Tip: It might feel unnecessary, but waiting to frost the cake until it has completely cooled is very important. Frosting a warm cake will be messy and cause soft frostings, like this one, to melt off the cake. Also, if brown sugar cream cheese frosting isn’t your favorite, take a look at some of our other homemade frosting recipes.
Step 6: Frost and Decorate the Cake
Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate and spread about a third of the frosting over it, trying to keep it even. Top with the other cake layer and spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Then sprinkle the remaining toasted walnuts on top of the cake. Get more frosting tips with our guide to frosting cakes.
Step 7: Slice and Serve.
Cut your cake into 16 even slices (we can show you how to cut a cake cleanly) and serve with a mug of tea, fresh coffee or warm apple cider.
Apple Spice Cake Tips
What Is the Best Apple to Use in Apple Cake?
This recipe calls for Honeycrisp apples, but you’re not limited to those. Northern Spy, Fiji and Jazz apples would also work well in this apple cake. This guide to apple varieties can tell you more about which types are best for baking, cooking and eating.
Should You Peel Apples for Apple Cake?
Yes, for this apple cake recipe, you’ll want to peel the apples. If your peeler is on its last leg, check out our Test Kitchen’s pick for the best apple peeler.
How Long Can You Keep Apple Cake
Store any leftover cake in a cake dome or keeper placed in the fridge for up to a week. You can even store a cake in the freezer as long as it’s wrapped in plastic wrap and foil properly.
Now that you’ve mastered this apple spice cake with brown sugar frosting, don’t forget to head over to Bustle to try out their recipe for air-fried, hand-held apple pies with brown sugar glaze.
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This homey Dutch oven apple cobbler is always a big hit with my family and one of our favorite easy apple desserts. We like to serve it with ice cream or whipped cream. —Cindy Jajuga, Weed, California
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These apple peanut butter cookies are great for fall gatherings. They're crisp on the outside and soft inside. —Marjorie Benson, New Castle, Pennsylvania
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Nothing beats these tender baked apple slices over ice cream for satisfying harvest flavor. This old-fashioned treat gives a new twist to traditional baked apples. They are also excellent served over waffles or with ham. I make sure to save room for dessert! —Linda Gaido, New Brighton, Pennsylvania
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I'm not a great baker, but I do love coffee. In an effort to practice my baking, I use up the morning's last bit of coffee to make this cake—literally. It is super moist and crumbly, and tastes like you dunked your cake right into a cup of hot joe. — Darla Andrews, Schertz, Texas
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Apple Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
I am a healthy eater most of the time, but this apple spice cake is worth the splurge! Every year, I treasure the opportunity to make my own birthday cake, and I choose this. You can add a cup of raisins to the batter before baking if you'd like. —Jennifer Owen, Louisville, Kentucky
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I revised this classic apple pie recipe from a church cookbook. I knew it was a keeper when my mother-in-law asked for a copy. Linda Pawelski, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Years ago, we were without electricity for nine days during an ice storm, but I was able run the slow cooker from our generator. The situation called for a treat, and this has been a favorite ever since.
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Mom often made these fried apples for me while I was growing up. The recipe is very dear to me. —Margie Tappe, Prague, Oklahoma
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My family often requests this easy old-fashioned cake for get-togethers—especially in the fall. It's one of our favorite easy apple desserts. —Beth Struble, Bryan, Ohio
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I got this apple quick bread recipe a long time ago and with a few changes it's become one of our favorites. Everyone who's ever tasted this apple bread has asked for the recipe! —Phyllis Herlocker, Farlington, Kansas
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I made these delicious bars for a friend's birthday once and now he requests them every year! They have a tasty tartness with a cinnamony kick. Be sure to chop the apples into small cubes —if the apple pieces are too big the bars will fall apart. —Danielle Millwer, Tonawanda, New York
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This a nice change from apple pie, and it's tasty and worthy of a special get-together—plus, it’s very easy to make. Add a scoop of ice cream if you like. —Ellen Ruzinsky, Yorktown Heights, NY
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I converted a basic sweet dough into this incredible apple-filled pull-apart loaf. The results are anything but basic. It takes time, but I guarantee it's worth it. You can choose one of the sauces, but using both is twice as tasty.—Gina Nistico, Milwaukee, WI
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When my cooking classes bake these apples, all the staff drops by. Students make them at home for Thanksgiving, and parents send in thank-you notes. —Sally Treonze, Hillsborough, New Jersey
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Cornmeal gives this upside-down cake a unique texture. Apples, cranberries and pecan make a delicious alternative to the typical pineapple and cherries. —Margee Berry, Trout Lake, Washington
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This gingerbread recipe came from my grandmother, and we always ate it with warm applesauce. I adapted it into a one-pan dessert by layering the apples around the bottom of a cast-iron skillet and topping them with the gingerbread batter. The skillet creates a wonderfully thick crust on the gingerbread. —Mary M. Leverette, Columbia, South Carolina
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Nothing tastes better at this time of year than a sweet-to-eat caramel apple! That rich homemade flavor just can't be beat.—Karen Ann Bland, Gove, Kansas
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This is a common dish from where I was born and raised in Pennsylvania. It's a classic Dutch-style apple cobbler recipe. Easy, quick and delicious, who couldn't love this golden brown delight? —Andrea Robson, York, Pennsylvania
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I love making this apple betty for friends during the peak of apple season. I plan a quick soup and bread meal, so we can get right to the dessert! —Elizabeth Godecke, Chicago, Illinois
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I give this classic dessert a rich twist with butterscotch pudding. The warm apple filling bubbles to perfection in a mini slow cooker. —Jolanthe Erb, Harrisonburg, Virginia
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These adorable mini apple pie pastries make a delightful addition to a dessert buffet or snack tray. The recipe calls for convenient frozen phyllo shells, so they're surprisingly easy to prepare. The lemon curd filling adds a unique flavor twist. —Mary Ann Lee, Clifton Park, New York
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This apple cinnamon cake is equally good for breakfast or dessert, so be sure to not eat all of it after dinner! Easy to make, it's super moist on the inside and has a crispy, cinnamon-rich crunch on the outside. —Marideane Maxwell, Albany, Georgia
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These bars make an excellent fall dessert. We like to warm individual servings in the microwave and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It quickly became a family favorite; maybe it'll become one of your family's, too. —Carol Stuber, Osawatomie, Kansas
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My family always loves it when I make this wonderful dessert. Old-fashioned strudel was too fattening and time-consuming, but this revised classic is just as good. It's best served warm from the oven. —Joanie Fuson, Indianapolis, Indiana
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I live in apple country, and a delicious crisp is one good way to use them that doesn't take a lot of time. —Gertrude Bartnick, Portage, Wisconsin
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I was experimenting with a beer bread to make it into a dessert and came up with this delectable apple fritter cake. —Ann Marie Eberhart, Gig Harbor, Washington
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The crumb topping of this apple crumb pie recipe is awesome, which may explain why dessert always disappears fast. Or maybe it's the chunky apple filling. Either way, it's a family tradition. —Vera Brouwer, Maurice, Iowa
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Apple pie baked in a cast iron skillet is a real stunner. This beauty, with its flaky, tender crust, also works in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. —Renee Schettler Rossi, New York, New York
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Like an apple pie without the pan, this scrumptious tart has a crispy crust that cuts nicely and a yummy caramel topping. —Betty Fulks, Onia, Arkansas
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A family friend gave me a simple way to make apple dumplings without lots of steps. I love the sticky cinnamon topping. —Jenny Leighty, West Salem, Ohio
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This gorgeous strudel has just what you crave this time of year: thin layers of flaky crust and lots of juicy apples. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
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Even though we've lived in Florida for 3 years, I still feel like a "Vermonter". My parents send us a bushel of Vermont apples each fall, and we try to visit in the spring to do some sugaring. —Patricia Putnam, Lakeland, Florida
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When my sister Catherine made her apple cake for me, I knew I needed the recipe. When I made it, I added some pears from the trees on our acreage. The resulting apple pear cake is so moist and tastes so good. Now every time I make it, people want my recipe. —Mary Ann Lees, Centreville, Alabama
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This apple cheesecake won the grand prize in an apple recipe contest. With caramel both on the bottom and over the top, every bite is sinfully delicious. —Lisa Morman, Minot, North DakotaThe post How to Make Apple Spice Cake (with Brown Sugar Frosting!) appeared first on Taste of Home.
Caroline Stanko