Meet your new favorite fall dessert: cinnamon swirl apple cake! Moist and tender cake gets loaded with juicy bites of apple and tons of spiced cinnamon swirl flavor. This treat is perfect for those cozy autumn days when there’s a chill in the air!
While I love all things pumpkin and pumpkin spice, I REALLY love fall apples! In this recipe, a simple cake allows all the apples and spiced cinnamon flavor to shine through.
Ingredients you’ll need:
Cinnamon apples:
- Apples: peeled and chopped
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
For the cinnamon swirl:
- Melted butter: melted butter is the best consistency for swirling!
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
For the cake batter:
- Melted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
Icing:
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
The cinnamon swirl not only adds the perfect amount of sweetness and warming spice to the interior of the cake, but it also bakes up to make a slightly sweet and crunchy topping on the surface of the cake! Almost like a streusel, but not quite!
How to make the best cinnamon swirl apple cake:
- Mix up the cinnamon apples: In a medium mixing bowl combine peeled and chopped apples with sugar and cinnamon. Toss to coat each piece of apple, then set aside.
- Make the cinnamon swirl: In another mixing bowl, combine melted butter with brown sugar and cinnamon. Set that aside, then combine the wet ingredients for the cake batter with the dry and fold together to create batter.
- Assemble: Fold the cinnamon apples into the cake batter and transfer to a greased 9×9 baking pan. Dollop the cinnamon swirl mixture all over the surface of the batter, then take a knife and drag the dollops through the batter to make a swirl effect.
- Bake the cake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes. While the cake is cooling, combine powdered sugar and milk for the icing. When the cake is just slightly warm to the touch, drizzle the icing on top. Let cool completely before slicing and enjoying!
You’ll love this cake for snacking, dessert, and let’s be honest… breakfast too! It’s easy to make, full of warm spices and juicy apple goodness. Make use of all the apples you’ve picked during your trip to the orchard and bake up this delectable cinnamon apple cake this fall!
My top tips to make this cake stress-free!
- I like to think of this cake as having 4 separate parts: the cinnamon apples, the cinnamon swirl, the cake batter, and the icing. I recommend working on one part at a time, then combining everything at the end!
- Peel and cube your apples. If you don’t mind the skin on your apples, then go ahead and leave it on! I just think peeling the apples results in a more tender bite. The most important part here is just making sure all your apples are cut into a similar shape and size, so they cook evenly.
- Rather than folding the cinnamon swirl mixture into the cake batter, I like to swirl it throughout the cake using a knife. Just fill your baking pan with the cake batter, then dollop spoonfuls of the cinnamon mixture right on top and drag a knife through the batter to make a swirl pattern.
- The powdered sugar glaze that gets drizzled on top gives this cake apple fritter vibes so I wouldn’t skip it!!! You want the glaze to be thin enough to drizzle, but thick enough to keep its shape on the cake. If yours seems a little thin, add more powdered sugar. If it seems a little thin, add more milk!
- Let this cake cool completely before slicing. It’s very tender and can be crumbly if you don’t let it cool first. This gives the glaze on top a chance to set up as well.
FAQ:
When choosing apples, I recommend opting for a firm, crisp texture that won’t get too mushy while baking. I like varieties that balance sweetness and tartness, making Honeycrisp, Jonathan and Cortland a few of my favorites!
Not only will an aroma of cinnamon and apples be filling your kitchen, but some of the cake batter will also rise over the apples and create a slightly domed, marbled effect on the surface of this dessert!
I leave this cake in the same pan it was baked in and cover the top with foil! So easy! Leave at room temperature and it’ll last for 4-5 days.
Looking for more fall recipes? Try these out!
- https://dangthatssweet.com/classic-caramel-apples-with-nuts/
- https://dangthatssweet.com/pumpkin-cookie-cake/
- https://dangthatssweet.com/apple-fritter-cake-with-cream-cheese-glaze/
- https://dangthatssweet.com/pumpkin-spice-donuts/
- https://dangthatssweet.com/smores-cookie-bars/
Cinnamon Swirl Apple Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cinnamon apples:
- 2 apples peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
For the cinnamon swirl:
- 8 tbsp melted butter 1 stick
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
For the cake batter:
- 8 tbsp melted butter 1 stick
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
For the icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4-5 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine peeled and chopped apples with sugar and cinnamon. Toss to coat each piece of apple, then set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, combine melted butter with brown sugar and cinnamon. Set that aside, then combine the wet ingredients for the cake batter with the dry and fold together to create batter.
- Fold the cinnamon apples into the cake batter and transfer to a greased 9×9 baking pan. Dollop the cinnamon swirl mixture all over the surface of the batter, then take a knife and drag the dollops through the batter to make a swirl effect.
- Bake the cake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes. While the cake is cooling, combine powdered sugar and milk for the icing. When the cake is just slightly warm to the touch, drizzle the icing on top. Let cool completely before slicing and enjoying!
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