Apple layer cake is the dessert I reach for when the air turns crisp and the orchard bags pile up on the counter. Packed with four full cups of fresh apple and finished with a softly spiced cream cheese frosting, it is made for people who truly love apples.
What Makes This Apple Layer Cake Special
- Four cups of diced apple in every batch
- A tender crumb from oil and applesauce
- Lightly spiced cream cheese frosting between each layer
- Simple enough for a weekend, pretty enough for company
You do not need fancy skills to pull this together, just a couple of bowls and three round pans. The batter comes together by hand once the apples go in.
Use any firm baking apple you like; Gravenstein, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith all hold up beautifully.
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Why You’ll Love This Apple Cake
- This apple layer cake tastes like fall in the best way, warm with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of allspice.
- The crumb stays moist for days thanks to oil and applesauce in the batter.
- That spiced cream cheese frosting is tangy, sweet, and just thick enough to spread.
Ingredient Notes
A few quick notes on the key players will set you up for success. The exact measurements in the recipe card have everything spelled out, so think of this as a shopping helper.
- Baking apples: choose firm-fleshed varieties so they keep their shape in the cake.
- Brown sugar: it brings moisture and a soft molasses note alongside the white sugar.
- Applesauce: it doubles down on apple flavor and keeps the crumb tender.
- Cream cheese: let it soften fully so the frosting whips up smooth.
- Warm spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice tie the cake and frosting together.
For equipment, grab three 9-inch round pans, a couple of mixing bowls, and a hand or stand mixer. A cooling rack helps the layers set before frosting.
How to Make Apple Layer Cake
Building this apple layer cake is mostly mix, pour, and bake. Stirring the apples in by hand at the end keeps them whole and juicy.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease three 9-inch pans.
- Whisk the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda, and allspice together.
- Beat both sugars with the eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla just until combined.
- Add the dry mix and stir only until it disappears, then fold in the apples by hand.
- Divide the batter among the pans and bake about 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool 5 minutes in the pans, then turn out and cool completely before frosting.
This recipe makes one tall cake that serves about 8. If you only have two pans, bake in batches and add a few minutes since the layers will be thicker.
Storage Options
Because of the cream cheese frosting, this cake likes the fridge. Keep it covered so the edges do not dry out.
- Refrigerate covered for up to 5 days.
- Let slices sit out for 20 minutes before serving for the best texture.
- Freeze unfrosted layers, well wrapped, for up to 2 months.
Variations & Substitutions
This cake welcomes small tweaks. Here are a few easy ways to change it up.
- Fold a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter.
- Add a drizzle of caramel between the layers.
- Swap in pumpkin pie spice if you are out of single spices.
- Use Granny Smith for a tarter, brighter bite.
What to Serve with Apple Layer Cake
A slice of apple layer cake is lovely on its own, but a few pairings make it feel like an occasion. Keep them simple and seasonal.
- A mug of hot cider or coffee.
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream while the slice is still slightly warm.
- For more apple baking, try these caramel apple sticky buns.
- Or branch into another fruit-forward bake like this cranberry mandarin upside-down cake.
Before you preheat the oven, here are answers to the questions bakers ask most often.
Frequently Asked Questions
What apples are best for an apple layer cake?
Firm baking apples hold their shape well. Gravenstein, Granny Smith, Cortland, Honeycrisp, and Northern Spy all work nicely.
Can I make this cake ahead?
Yes. Bake and cool the layers, then wrap and refrigerate a day ahead, or freeze them and frost the day you serve.
Why mix the apples in by hand?
Stirring by hand keeps the diced apples intact so you get juicy bites instead of mush.
Can I bake this as a sheet cake?
You can. Pour the batter into a greased 9×13 pan and add a few minutes to the bake time, checking with a toothpick.
This is the cake I want on the table the moment the leaves start turning. Make it once and it may become your own start-of-fall tradition.
Apple Layer Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
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Ingredients
- 4 cups firm fleshed baking apples peeled, cored and diced (I used Gravenstein)
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten
- ¾ cup canola oil
- ¾ cup applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 4 oz unsalted butter softened
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Grease three 9″ pans and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda and allspice. Mix well and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer over medium speed, combine both sugars, eggs, canola oil, applesauce and vanilla. Mix just until incorporated.
- Slowly add the flour mixture and mix this just until incorporated as well.
- Stir in apples by hand. Pour this mixture evenly into the three greased 9″ pans. Bake in a 350º oven for twenty minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for five minutes. Flip out of pans and cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Cream together all frosting ingredients until smooth. Spread frosting between each layer and smooth over sides and top. Serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Good morning Melanie! What a wonderful first fall recipe! I love fresh baked apples and this looks like a fantastic recipe and relatively quick and easy too. Marvelous. Thank you! I can’t wait to try it!
It’s really not complicated at all. I mean, as far as cakes go, this one isn’t fussy. I’m not much into fussy baked goods.
I was just looking for a cake recipe for my daughters upcoming birthday. She will be 12 and her only request was that it have cream cheese frosting! ! Thanks so much for posting thus early recipe – perfect timing!
Well that was sort of kismet. Happy to inspire!! Happy birthday to your daughter!
SO EXCITED TO TRY THIS ONE!! We went to the Big Apple in Wrentham last weekend and I have a ton of Cortlands!!! Will have to try to see if I can whip this up later in the week.
This is a great way to use up a bunch of apples! Let me know how it works out for you if you decide to make it.
After a day of apple picking you are likely to have more apples than you know what to do with! This recipe uses a lot of apples, which is great if you are looking for ways to use them- thanks for sharing!