Spiced Apple Cake That’ll Make Your Kitchen Smell Like Heaven

Spiced Apple Cake That’ll Make Your Kitchen Smell Like Heaven

Spiced apple cake hits different when autumn rolls around, doesn’t it?

Fresh apples meet warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a tender crumb that’s basically a hug in cake form.

I’ve baked this cake more times than I can count, and every single time, someone asks for the recipe before they’ve even finished their slice.

Let me show you exactly how to nail it.

KEY INFO

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45-50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 12-15 slices

Difficulty: Intermediate

Dietary Tags: Vegetarian (can be made gluten-free or dairy-free with substitutions)

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

• 9×13 inch baking pan or two 8-inch round pans
• Large mixing bowl
• Medium mixing bowl
• Hand mixer or stand mixer
• Box grater or food processor
• Rubber spatula
• Wire cooling rack
• Toothpick or cake tester

Simple Alternatives:

• Food processor works brilliantly for grating apples quickly
• Hand whisk if you’ve got decent arm strength (though I won’t judge if you skip this torture)
• Skewer works just as well as a fancy cake tester

INGREDIENTS

Dry Ingredients

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour (300g) – cake flour works too, use slightly less
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (220g) – muscovado adds deeper flavor
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger (optional but highly recommended)
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• ¾ cup vegetable or canola oil (180ml) – melted butter works but oil keeps it moister longer
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ⅓ cup applesauce (80ml) – adds moisture and apple flavor
• ¼ cup whole milk (60ml) – buttermilk makes it tangier
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Star of the Show

• 3-4 medium apples, peeled and grated (about 3 cups/450g) – Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or a mix
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional but adds great texture)

Optional Topping

• Thinly sliced apple for decoration
• 2 tablespoons butter + ¼ cup brown sugar for caramel layer

METHOD

Step 1: Get Your Oven Ready

Preheat to 350°F (175°C) if using a metal pan, or 325°F (163°C) for glass.

Grease your 9×13 pan generously and line the bottom with parchment paper.

This isn’t optional—trust me, I’ve learned this lesson the hard way when half the cake stuck to the pan.

Step 2: Sort Your Dry Ingredients

Whisk together flour, both sugars, all the spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Whisk for a good 30 seconds to make sure those spices distribute evenly.

Nobody wants a bite with all the cloves concentrated in one spot.

Step 3: Mix the Wet Stuff

In your large bowl, combine oil and eggs.

Beat with your mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute until it looks light and slightly foamy.

Add the applesauce, milk, and vanilla.

Mix until everything’s combined and smooth.

Step 4: Bring It All Together

Turn your mixer to low speed.

Add the flour mixture in three additions, mixing just until you don’t see dry flour anymore.

Stop mixing as soon as it’s combined.

Overmixing is the fastest way to end up with a dense, tough cake instead of a tender one.

The batter will be thick—that’s exactly what you want.

Step 5: Fold in the Good Stuff

Grate your apples using the medium holes on a box grater.

Do this right before you need them so they don’t oxidize and turn brown.

Gently fold the grated apples (and nuts if using) into the batter with a rubber spatula.

Use broad, sweeping motions from the bottom up.

Step 6: Into the Pan

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with your spatula.

If you’re feeling fancy, arrange thin apple slices on top in overlapping rows.

They’ll caramelize beautifully and look impressive.

Step 7: Bake Until Golden

Slide it into the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Start checking at 40 minutes—stick a toothpick in the center.

It should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.

The top should be golden brown and spring back when you gently press it.

Step 8: Cool With Patience

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

I know it smells incredible and you want to dive in immediately.

But cutting into a hot cake turns it into a crumbly mess.

After 15 minutes, you can either leave it in the pan to cool completely or turn it out onto the rack.

CRUCIAL TIPS

Apple choice matters: Granny Smith keeps its shape and adds tartness. Honeycrisp brings sweetness and stays tender. I usually use a mix of both.

Room temperature eggs blend smoother: Cold eggs can make the batter seize up. Leave them on the counter for 30 minutes or place in warm water for 5 minutes.

Don’t skip the applesauce: It adds moisture that keeps this cake perfect for days. The cake actually tastes better on day two when flavors meld.

Check your

Pin This Now to Remember It Later

Pin This