This apple fritter cake is a delicious sponge cake with apples accompanied by a smooth cream cheese glaze on top! Sometimes it can be hard to deliver enough apple flavor into fall themed baked goods but this cake is loaded with fresh chopped apples, which is what makes it so tender and delicious!
My favorite thing about this apple sponge cake:
You really do get all the flavors of an apple fritter in this cake without all the hassle. It’s made in one bowl and doesn’t require any special skills to bake or decorate! The baked cinnamon sugar coating on top may seem a little overboard with the cream cheese glaze but believe me, it gives the perfect amount of fall flavor to this simple recipe!
Ingredients you’ll need for my apple fritter inspired cake:
- Apples
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Sour cream
- Canola, vegetable or grapeseed oil
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
For the sugar topping:
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Butter
For the cream cheese glaze:
- Butter
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
Top tips for making this easy apple cake recipe:
- Peel the skins from the apples. This makes for a more pleasant texture of soft apples when the cake is fully baked,
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Stop mixing once no visible flour is remaining in the bowl and the apples are fully coated in batter.
- Don’t skip the sugar topping! You may think you don’t need it if you’re adding the glaze, but you do! It adds tons of cinnamon flavor as well as a crisp surface on top of the baked cake.
- Combine the ingredients for the glaze and nuke them in the microwave. This way, you’ll be able to mix and spread the glaze much more easily.
- Let the glaze set on the cake. In my opinion, this cake is most delicious when the glaze has cooled/firmed up on top.
FAQ:
I like to bake with Honeycrisp apples but you can use Granny Smith apples, Golden Delicious or Pink Lady! Other varieties that are easily accessible at the grocery stores are Fuji and Gala. The main thing you’re looking for is a good balance of sweetness and firmness!
I just cube the apples. The cubes should be about 1/2 inch. If you’re unsure of size, it’s better to keep them in small pieces to ensure they become soft and tender while baking.
Sure! I wrote this recipe for a 9-inch springform pan because I like how easy the cake is to remove from the pan but you are more than welcome to bake this recipe in a 9×9 square or 9-inch round pan as well.
Butter and oil can work interchangeably in recipes to add flavor and moisture to baked goods. This recipe calls for oil because I like the texture of the crumb, it’s light, tender and says moist for a very long time!
Sure! You can make the batter as directed, but bake in two 9×5 loaf pans. Baking time will vary but I would start checking the loaves for doneness after 50 minutes in the oven.
As always, this cake is best enjoyed freshly baked but an easy way to store leftovers is by covering the surface with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and leaving at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
Apple Fritter Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 2 medium mixing bowls
- 1 whisk or spatula (for mixing)
- 1 peeler
- 1 sharp knife
- (1) 9 inch springform pan (9 inch round or square pans will work too)
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil can use canola or grapeseed oil too
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 apples chopped and peeled
For the cinnamon sugar topping:
- 1 tbsp butter melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the cream cheese glaze:
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar with oil, eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Give that a whisk and sprinkle in the flour, baking soda and cinnamon.
- Mix to form a smooth cake batter, then peel and chop the apples. Add them to the batter and transfer everything into your greased 9 inch baking pan.
- In a separate bowl, melt the butter for the cinnamon sugar mixture, then add in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix to distribute everything evenly.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the cake and bake for 65-75 minutes. Test the center of the cake with a toothpick to ensure it's fully baked through.
- While the cake is cooling, combine the ingredients for the cream cheese glaze in a medium bowl.
- Microwave for no more than 20 seconds. You just want the cream cheese to be softened. Mix until you're left with a smooth glaze.
- Remove the cake from the pan and spread the cream cheese glaze overtop.
You commented sour cream but not in the recipe
Thanks for pointing it out! The amount of sour cream is updated in the recipe now!