This cake is the PERFECT blend of crisp apples and spices, and no one will believe it starts with a box cake mix! Easy Apple Spice Cake is moist with a layer of apple butter, then topped with a sweet glaze for the best autumn dessert.
Fall is apple season, and the best way to enjoy it is by making recipes loaded with them. Apple Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread, Apple Strudel, or Crock Pot Apple Butter are favorites my family loves this time of year.
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Apple Spice Cake has all the flavors of a classic fall dessert. And it’s for all of us who love homemade baked goods but sometimes don’t have much time to spend in the kitchen.
It starts with a simple box cake mix, then is doctored up with some special ingredients. Fresh chopped apples, along with apple butter, give this cake a rich flavor boost along with a bit of texture.
Your friends and family will never guess just how easy this delicious cake is to make!
Ingredients For Apple Spice Cake
I’ve listed the ingredients needed for this recipe along with easy substitutions.
- Boxed Yellow Cake Mix – which ever brand you like
- Large Eggs – room temperature
- Granulated Sugar
- Sour Cream – plain yogurt can also be used
- Apple Butter – vegetable oil can be substituted
- Apples – I recommend Granny Smith
- Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Confectioners Sugar
- Milk – water can also be used
What’s The Best Apple To Use For This Cake Recipe?
The best apples to use for this recipe are ones that firm and bake well. I like Granny Smith, which has a slightly tart flavor that goes well with the sweetness of the cake. You can also use Honey crisp or Gala apples.
What Kind Of Pan Is Best For This Recipe?
I use a bundt pan for this recipe. The best size is 10-inch, which holds approximately 12.5 cups.
How To Make This Cake
This recipe comes together in no time and as a bonus, your kitchen will smell heavenly while the cake bakes.
- First, combine the cake mix, eggs, water, granulated sugar, brown sugar, sour cream, cinnamon in a bowl. Peel and dice the apples and fold them into the batter.
- Pour ½ of the cake batter into a prepared bundt pan. Spoon apple butter over the batter. Gently pour the remaining batter over the apple butter.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake until golden brown. Remove cake to a wire rack to cool.
- Make the glaze and pour over the cake. Slice and enjoy!
How To Make The Sweet Glaze
Apple Spice Cake is topped with a simple glaze made with confectioners sugar and milk or water. The idea here is to get the right consistency so that the glaze will run down the sides of the cake without being runny. This is accomplished by starting with just 1 tablespoon of liquid and gradually add in more until you get the right consistency for pouring.
Can Apple Spice Cake Be Frozen?
Yes, it sure can. Make the cake per the recipe instruction up to the point of making the glaze. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up until a month.
To serve defrost the cake on the counter or in the fridge. Make the glaze and pour over the cake before serving.
More Apple Recipes You’ll Love!
- Broccoli Apple Salad
- Skillet Cinnamon Apples
- Crock Pot Applesauce
- Apple Sausage Dressing
- Apple Cider Mimosas
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 cups diced apple, peeled and diced (Granny Smith is recommended)
- ⅓ cup apple butter (can substitute vegetable oil)
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a bundt pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Add cake mix, eggs, water, granulated sugar, brown sugar, sour cream, and cinnamon to a bowl. Using a hand mixer or wooden spoon, mix until well blended.
- Fold diced apples into the cake batter. Pour ½ of the batter into the prepared ban. Evenly spoon apple butter in a line over the bake batter.
- Pour remaining batter over the apple butter. Gently place in oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, and turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool.
- To make the glaze, add the confectioners sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk or water to a mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add more sugar for a thicker glaze if needed.
- When cake has cooled completely, drizzle over prepared glaze, slice, and enjoy!
Indulge: Southern Dessert Classics!
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Karen Laliberte
This was absolutely delicious!
Thank you, Karen! It’s one of my favorites for fall. I so appreciate the great rating, too.
~Donya
Krohn Carmen
A gift.
Claudine
Donya, this cake is the best! I make my own apple butter so I used that and as I can never leave a recipe alone, I added some chopped pecans to the mix.
The cake turned out to be moist, flavorful, and easy to make.
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Claudine in Fort Worth, TX
Donya
Hey there Claudine!
Wow! Thank you so much for your kind words and this fantastic rating! It sounds like you made some delicious alterations to this recipe, I’m definitely going to be adding pecans next time I make this. Thank you so much for your support, if you ever have any questions about a recipe please feel free to reach out!
~Donya