If you love the cozy flavor of an apple fritter, you’re going to want to make this apple fritter cake. The spiced cake is soft, fluffy, tender and filled with caramelized cinnamon spiced apples and brown sugar, then finished with a sweet glaze that melts into every delicious bite. It’s simple enough for a weekend bake and special enough for the holidays. If you have fresh apples waiting to be baked into something delicious, this is the recipe to make. One bite, and you’ll see why this cozy apple fritter cake is a cake you’ll want to bake all season long.
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Why Make This Recipe
I absolutely adore a delicious apple cake this time of year. My Apple Spice Cake, Apple Coffee Cake, French Apple Cake, Apple Upside Down Cake and Apple Cider Cake are just a few apple cake recipes I love from the blog. This easy apple fritter cake is filled with fresh apples and the coziest flavors and textures of the season.
- Layers of flavors and textures. From the moist spiced cake layered with warmly spiced caramelized apples both inside and on top, to the sweet glaze that melts into every bite, this apple fritter cake will delight your senses.
- Easy to make, bake and eat. This homemade fritter cake tastes like you just bought it from a bakery, but is so simple to make. Simply make the caramelized apples, mix up the spiced cake, assemble, bake, glaze and enjoy.
- Perfectly cozy and perfect for cozy seasons. Imagine a giant apple fitter in cake form, perfectly sliceable, beautiful and decadent that’s perfect for fall breakfast, brunch or dessert.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This fritter cake with apples is as easy to make as it is delicious. Here are the ingredients needed, as well as my recommended substitutions to make this glazed apple cake if you need them.
- All Purpose Flour: To make this apple cake gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. I recommend using the weight of flour (300 g) rather than cup for cup.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These both act as leaveners in this apple spice cake.
- Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Feel free to use your preferred warming spices. Apple pie spice, chai spice or even pumpkin spice would all be delicious in place of ground cinnamon.
- Brown Sugar: This fitter apple cake recipe calls for light brown sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make this refined sugar free.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter in place of the unsalted butter. Just make sure to omit the added salt. Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Apple Butter: Feel free to use your preferred apple butter. I love the apple butter from Trader Joes. Do not substitute the apple butter with applesauce as they are different and will create a different cake.
- Buttermilk: A thick and creamy greek yogurt or full fat sour cream works well in this recipe. Measure out about ⅔ cup of sour cream or yogurt and whisk in about 2 tablespoons water to make about ¾ cup buttermilk substitute.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Apples: Use apples meant for baking. I personally love using Granny Smith apples. Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples also work well.
How To Make
Learn how to make apple fritter cake in a few easy steps.
Make the Apple Fritters and Cake
- Peel, core and dice the apples into ½ inch pieces. Add the prepared apples, light brown sugar, butter and cinnamon to a skillet. Stir the ingredients together to fully coat the apples. Cook the apples over medium heat for about 10 minutes. The apples should be tender with a syrup like consistency. Portion out ½ cup for topping the cake before baking. Cool the apples down before using to make the apple fritter cake.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Grease the sides and line the bottom of a 9 inch (23 cm) springform or cake pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter, light brown sugar and apple butter together until smooth and well combined. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Alternating dry ingredients and buttermilk, mix in ⅓ of the dry ingredients into the wet, followed by ½ of the buttermilk. Repeat until all the ingredients are just combined. Fold in the cooled cooked apples. Make sure to reserve ½ cup for topping the cake before baking (we did this in step 1).
Bake the Cake
4. Evenly spread pour and spread the apple fritter cake into the prepared pan. Top the cake with the reserved ½ cup caramelized apples and 1 -2 tablespoons light brown sugar. Bake the fritter cake for 35 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the apple cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool the pan in the pan for 15 - 20 minutes then top the cake with the glaze. Before topping the cake with the glaze, use a butter knife to loosen any stuck pieces of cake from the bottom or sides of the pan.
Glaze the Cake
5. To make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar with milk until smooth and well combined. Brush the glaze over the cake. The glaze should fully cover the top and melt down the sides of the cake still in the pan. The glaze needs about 45 minutes to set. Gently loosen the sides of the springform pan and gently remove from the cake. Transfer to a serving plate or serve right from the pan bottom of the pan.
How To Make Ahead, Store, Freeze, Thaw and Serve
- Make Ahead: Make the apple filling up to one day before making the apple fritter cake. Store the filling in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Store: Place the slices of the apple fritter cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 - 2 days. Then the cake should be transferred to the fridge for up to another 2 - 3 days.
- Freeze: Make sure the apple cake is completely cooled to room temperature. Individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap, parchment paper or wax paper and place in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the apple fritter cake is to let it sit out at room temperature for at least two hours or overnight in the fridge. Enjoy at room temperature or microwave the cake slice for 20 - 30 seconds for that “fresh from the oven” taste.
- Serve: This cake is best served warm, while the glaze is still a bit wet. Serve with coffee or tea, topped with ice cream or whipped cream or simply enjoy straight from the pan.
M’s Expert Tips
- Use the right apples. The best apples for this fritter cake are also the best apples for baking other apple desserts. Look for a mix of tart apples like Granny Smith and sweeter apples like Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples.
- Cool the apples. The caramelized apples need time to cool down before using in the recipe. Allow about 30 - 45 minutes after cooking or about 1 hour after starting the preparation for the apples.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in soft, fluffy, moist and tender spiced cake.
- Measure the flour properly. I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured ingredients every time.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Use the baking times as a guide. All ovens vary and baking times should be used as a guide. As a general rule, when the apple fritter cake becomes fragrant, it’s a good idea to start checking. Begin checking the cake at the minimum baking time. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out with a few moist crumbs.
FAQs
Crisp apples that hold their shape when baked are a great choice. Depending on the variety, you can use a sweeter apple or one with more tartness for contrast. Using a flavorful apple is more important than choosing one specific variety.
Peeling is optional, but peeled apples give the cake a softer, more uniform texture and is more true to classic apple fritters. If you prefer a little extra texture and don't mind the peel, you can leave it on.
A dense cake can be for a few different reasons. Overmixing the batter, adding too much flour, or using expired leavening agents can contribute to a dense cake. Mix the batter just until combined and measure your ingredients carefully. A soggy apple cake can happen if the apples are too watery or if the cake hasn’t baked long enough.
I highly recommend using a 9 inch (23 cm) springform pan as the side is easy to remove. However, this cake can also be made in a 9 x 13 pan (the baking time will be a bit shorter). You can also bake this apple cake in an 11 inch skillet.
Other Apple Fritter Recipes to Try
If you try this Apple Fritter Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Apple Fritter Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 skillet
- 1 knife and vegetable peeler
- 1 whisk
- 1 9 -inch springform pan
Ingredients
Cinnamon Apple Fritter Filling
- 3 cups diced apples
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons (20 ml) melted butter
Apple Fritter Cake
- 2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) melted butter or neutral baking oil
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (135 g) apple butter
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 - 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, for topping
Glaze
- 1¾ cup (210 g) powdered sugar
- 3 - 4 tablespoons (45 - 60 ml) milk, to desired thickness
Instructions
- Peel, core and dice the apples into ½ inch pieces. Add the prepared apples, light brown sugar, butter and cinnamon to a skillet. Stir the ingredients together to fully coat the apples.3 cups diced apples, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon , 2 tablespoons (20 ml) melted butter
- Cook the apples over medium heat for about 10 minutes. The apples should be tender with a syrup like consistency. Portion out ½ cup for topping the cake before baking. Cool the apples down before using to make the apple fritter cake.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Grease the sides and line the bottom of a 9 inch (23 cm) springform or cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together until well combined.2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda , 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter, light brown sugar and apple butter together until smooth and well combined. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.½ cup (120 ml) melted butter or neutral baking oil , ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, ½ cup (135 g) apple butter, 2 large eggs, room temperature, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
- Alternating dry ingredients and buttermilk, mix in ? of the dry ingredients into the wet, followed by ½ of the buttermilk. Repeat until all the ingredients are just combined. Fold in the cooled cooked apples. Make sure to reserve ½ cup for topping the cake before baking (this was done in step 1).¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- Evenly spread pour and spread the apple fritter cake into the prepared pan. Top the cake with the reserved ½ cup caramelized apples and 1 -2 tablespoons light brown sugar.1 - 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, for topping
- Bake the fritter cake for 35 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the apple cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool the pan in the pan for 15 - 20 minutes then top the cake with the glaze. Before topping the cake with the glaze, use a butter knife to loosen any stuck pieces of cake from the bottom or sides of the pan.
- To make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar with milk until smooth and well combined. Brush the glaze over the cake. The glaze should fully cover the top and melt down the sides of the cake still in the pan. The glaze needs about 45 minutes to set. Gently loosen the sides of the springform pan and gently remove from the cake. Transfer to a serving plate or serve right from the pan bottom of the pan.1¾ cup (210 g) powdered sugar, 3 - 4 tablespoons (45 - 60 ml) milk, to desired thickness
Notes
- Cake is too dense: Avoid overmixing the batter. Mix just until the ingredients are combined, and make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh.
- Apples sank to the bottom: Cut the apples into smaller pieces and distribute them evenly throughout the batter. Very large or heavy pieces are more likely to sink.
- Cake is soggy in the middle: Extra moisture from very juicy apples can affect the texture. Make sure the cake is fully baked before removing it from the oven and allow it to cool before slicing.
- Cake turned out dry: Be careful not to overbake it. Start checking for doneness toward the end of the recommended baking time.
- Glaze is too runny: Add a little more powdered sugar until it reaches a thick but pourable consistency.
- Glaze is too thick: Add a few drops of milk or other liquid at a time until it becomes easy to drizzle.
- Cake sticks to the pan: Grease the pan thoroughly and, if appropriate for your pan, line the bottom with parchment paper before adding the batter.
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