This cinnamon apple cake is loaded with fresh seasonal apples and topped with a buttery cinnamon sugar swirl. This moist and light, oil-based cake takes just 10 minutes to mix and 40 minutes to bake.
Every time I take my Cinnamon Apple Cake to a get-together, I already know what’s coming—someone is going to ask, “Can you make this as a birthday cake?” And honestly, I get it. It’s that good.
This cake is soft, moist, and packed with cinnamon-spiced apples, making it taste like fall in every bite. It’s simple, comforting, and doesn’t need fancy frosting to stand out—just a light dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of glaze, and it’s ready to impress.
Even though I don’t often make this as a custom birthday cake, I love how much people enjoy it. Because sometimes, the best cakes aren’t the ones covered in decorations—they’re the ones that people keep coming back for, slice after slice.
Why make this cake
- The combination of cinnamon and apples is absolutely heavenly, and this cake is loaded with both.
- The recipe is very simple and easy to make. I’ve used my oil-based vanilla cake as the base for this recipe with eggs and both brown and white sugar to add a nice flavor and texture.
- Most of the ingredients in this recipe are simple pantry staples, plus fresh seasonal apples.
- To enhance the apples’ flavor, I have even used applesauce along with the diced apples.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Apples – I like a combination of sweet and tart apples. Granny Smith holds its shape and adds tartness, while Gala, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady adds sweetness and becomes softer as it bakes. Using two varieties gives the cake better flavor and texture.
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour gives this cake the best structure while keeping the crumb soft and moist.
- Oil – Use a neutral-flavored oil such as canola, sunflower, or vegetable oil. Oil keeps the cake moist even after refrigeration.
- Applesauce or sour cream – Either works well. Applesauce adds moisture and reinforces the apple flavor, while sour cream gives the cake a slightly richer, more tender crumb.
- Sugars – I use both brown and granulated sugar. Brown sugar adds moisture and a subtle caramel flavor, while granulated sugar keeps the cake from becoming too heavy.
- Eggs – Use large, room-temperature eggs so they incorporate easily into the batter.
- Spices – Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg give this cake its warm apple-pie flavor. You can replace them with apple pie spice or pumpkin spice if that’s what you have.
- Lemon juice – Tossing the apples with a little lemon juice balances their sweetness and keeps the flavor fresh.
- Nuts – Pecans or walnuts add a little crunch, but they’re completely optional.
- Cinnamon sugar – Brown sugar, cinnamon, and just a little melted butter make the cinnamon layer that runs through the cake and creates that craggy cinnamon top.
Step-by-step: Cinnamon apple cake
- Cinnamon sugar – In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Combine well and set aside for now.
- Apple mixture – Use a vegetable peeler to peel the apples, and a corer to core the apples. Then, dice them into small 1/4-inch cubes. Place in a medium bowl, and add the lemon juice, salt, and spices. Combine well.
Pro tip – Do not cut the apples too early to prevent them from oxidizing. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent them as well.
Cake batter
- Oven / Pan – Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C / Gas mark 3. Grease and line an 8 x 8-inch square cake pan.
Pro tip – When you line the pan with parchment, leave an overhang so you can pick the cake out of the pan.
- Dry ingredients – In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
- Wet ingredient – In a bowl of a stand mixer, whip the whole eggs for a minute. Then, gradually add both the white and brown sugar. Whip until sugar is almost dissolved. Next, gradually add the oil while whipping simultaneously. Followed by the apple sauce and vanilla extract.
- Dry to wet ingredients – Next, add the flour and combine well. Next, fold in the apple mixture and chopped nuts. Combine well, but do not overmix.
- Assemble – Pour the apple cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Pour the cinnamon sugar on top. Spread it evenly and create a few swirls, making sure to combine some of the cinnamon sugar with the cake batter.
- Bake – Transfer the cake to the oven and bake it on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Pro tip – the apples do keep the cake moist, so make sure to put the skewer into the batter part of the cake to get a correct doneness test. - Cool – When done baking, cool for at least 20 minutes before you cut the cake into slices.
Pro tip – If you let the cake cool completely, it will cut into pretty slices without breaking apart.
Cinnamon Apple Cake
This cinnamon apple cake is loaded with fresh seasonal apples and topped with a buttery cinnamon sugar swirl. This moist and light, oil-based cake takes just 10 minutes to mix and 40 minutes to bake.
Video
Ingredients
Apple mixture
- 250 g (2 med) Apples diced into 1/4- inch pieces
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Cinnamon powder
- ¼ tsp Ground ginger
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg fresh grated
Cake
- 280 g (2¼ cups) All-purpose Flour
- ¾ tsp Baking soda
- ¼ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
- ¼ tsp Ground ginger
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg fresh grated
- 180 ml Oil flavorless cooking oil
- 75 g (⅓ cup) Brown sugar
- 65 g (⅓ cup) Granulated sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 75 ml (⅓ cup) Apple sauce or sour cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 75 g (½ cup) Nuts Pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
Cinnamon sugar
- 30 g (2 tbsp) Melted butter
- 50 g (¼ cup) Brown sugar
- 1½ tbsp Cinnamon powder
Method
- Cinnamon sugar – In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Combine well and set aside for now.30 g Melted butter, 50 g Brown sugar, 1½ tbsp Cinnamon powder
- Apple mixture – Use a vegetable peeler to peel the apples, and a corer to core the apples. Then, dice them into small 1/4-inch cubes. Place in a medium bowl, and add the lemon juice, salt, and spices. Combine well Pro tip – Do not cut the apples too early to prevent them from oxidizing. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent them as well.250 g Apples, ¼ tsp Salt, ½ tsp Cinnamon powder, ¼ tsp Ground ginger, ¼ tsp Nutmeg, 1 tbsp Lemon juice
Cake batter
- Oven / Pan – Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C / Gas mark 3. Grease and line an 8 x 8-inch square cake pan. Pro tip – When you line the pan with parchment leave an overhang so you can pick the cake out of the pan.
- Dry ingredients – In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt.280 g All-purpose Flour, ¾ tsp Baking soda, ¼ tsp Baking powder, ½ tsp Salt, 1 tsp Cinnamon powder, ¼ tsp Ground ginger, ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- Wet ingredient – In a bowl of a stand mixer whip the whole eggs for a minute. Then, gradually add both the white and brown sugar. Whip until sugar is almost dissolved. Next, gradually add the oil while whipping simultaneously. Followed by the apple sauce and vanilla extract.180 ml Oil, 75 g Brown sugar, 65 g Granulated sugar, 2 large Eggs, 75 ml Apple sauce, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Dry to wet ingredients – Next, add the flour and combine well. Next, fold in the apple mixture and chopped nuts. Combine well but do not overmix.75 g Nuts
- Assemble – Pour the apple cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Pour the cinnamon sugar on top. Spread it evenly and create a few swirls making sure to combine some of the cinnamon sugar with the cake batter.
- Bake – Transfer the cake to the oven and bake it on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Pro tip – the apples do keep the cake moist so make sure to put the skewer into the batter part of the cake to get a correct doneness test.
- Cool – When done baking cool for at least 20 minutes before you cut the cake into slices. Pro tip – If you let the cake cool completely, it will cut into pretty slices without breaking apart.
Notes
- Apples: Use firm baking apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or a combination. Avoid very soft apples that break down quickly.
- Applesauce: Sour cream can be used instead for a slightly richer cake.
- Cinnamon: This is intentionally a cinnamon-forward cake. You can reduce the cinnamon in the swirl slightly for a milder flavor.
- Pan: Bake in an 8-inch square pan. A metal pan will generally bake a little faster than glass or ceramic.
- Storage: Keep covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring refrigerated cake to room temperature before serving.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Tips for Success
- Cut the apples small. About ¼-inch pieces distribute evenly through the batter and soften properly as the cake bakes.
- Don’t overmix. Once the flour is added, mix only until combined to keep the cake tender.
- Swirl lightly. Drag a knife or skewer through the cinnamon mixture just a few times. Too much swirling blends it into the batter instead of leaving distinct cinnamon pockets.
- Check the center, not the edges. The cake is very moist, so a skewer should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Let it cool before cutting. The crumb continues to set as it cools, especially around the juicy apple pieces.
More Apple Recipe
- Caramel Dutch Apple Pie
- Cinnamon Apple Cake
- Moist Apple Pie Cake
- Caramel Apple Pie
- How to Make Apple Pie
Troubleshooting
- Why did my apple cake turn out dry? Overbaking, too little liquid, or using too much flour can result in a dry cake. Ensure accurate measurements and keep an eye on baking time.
- How do I prevent the apples from sinking to the bottom? Tossing the apple pieces in a small amount of flour before adding them to the batter can help prevent sinking.
- Why did my cake not rise properly? Expired or old baking powder/soda, overmixing, or oven temperature issues can affect the rise. Ensure you use fresh leavening agents and avoid overmixing.
Frequently asked questions
How long will this cinnamon apple cake keep? How do you store it
Store apple cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For more extended storage or to retain freshness, refrigerate it. Apple cake freezes well. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil or place it in a freezer bag. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
What kind of apples are best for apple cake?
Firmer apples that hold up well during baking are ideal. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Fuji are popular choices, but other apple varieties can work depending on your flavor preference.
What other pans can I use for this cake?
If you don’t want to make a square cake like this one.
Use two 6-inch round cake pans and make it an apple-layer cake.
You can double this recipe to a 9 x 13 sheet cake – a moist apple sheet cake.
Or pour the batter into a well-greased and dusted bundt pan for a ‘Moist apple bundt cake’.
This recipe can also be baked into 18 beautiful apple cupcakes.
What frosting pairs well with apple cake?
Cream cheese frosting, caramel glaze, or a simple vanilla icing complements apple cake flavors beautifully.
More Recipes with Cinnamon
- Moist Cinnamon Bundt Cake
- Cinnamon Sugar Blondies
- Braided Cinnamon Buns
- Moist Cinnamon Swirl Cake
- Moist Cinnamon Bundt Cake
- Cinnamon Sugar Cookies Recipe
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Hi, I’m Veena
I’m the recipe developer, baker, and food photographer behind Veena Azmanov Kitchen.
I’ve spent years developing and testing recipes, from everyday meals and homemade breads to cakes and desserts.
I share the practical tips and little details I’ve learned along the way so you can get great results in your own kitchen.
Venna, Really enjoyed the recipe, only one thing you really should consider, when you run the video why in the world don’t you print the items you post on the page in Black script, can hardly read it and it only appears for 1 ten thousands of a second, is their a problem leaving it on long enough to read?
Always read all your recipes and like so many, but this is just a idea,
Thanks for all you postings,
Thanks for the feedback Stony. Most people prefer that I don’t list the items on the video because in most cases its pretty obvious. For example writing sugar when you can see sugar in the video! But, I will keep that in mind. Thanks
Delicious and sooo easy to make. Thankyou so much
I made this today and added freshly grated ginger, and it was awesome!! Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you, Sharon. Fresh ginger has a wonderful flavor.
So, I couldn’t stop myself from baking Apple Cinnamon Cake for October Challenge from your recipes! It was fun baking it, and the result was so flavourful and delicious. The spices, walnuts and apple blended together so well and loved the taste of sprinkled cinnamon sugar. My family enjoyed the cake very much.❤️
All your recipes are no-fail recipes and nobody can stop once tries one of them! Thank you, Veena ji ☺️
#octoberchallenge #veenaazmanov #applecinnamoncake
Thank you, Bhakti. Happy you enjoyed this recipe.
Very moist and light… perfect for fall. I baked in a ring pan and the family loved it! Thank you for a simply delicious recipe!,
Thank you, Susan. Happy to hear that