Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is sure to be a hit at any gathering. The moist and delicious cake is filled with spices like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. It’s topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting that makes every bite irresistible!
If you are looking for a recipe to make your meal special, then this apple cake is the recipe for you. Not only is it easy to make but it also looks amazing. This cake is moist and full of flavor, perfect for any occasion.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This apple spice cake is full of flavor and easy to make!
- You only need simple ingredients to make this delicious cake.
- It will look great on your holiday dessert table, but you can make it any time of the year!
🛒Ingredients
One great thing about this homemade cake is that you only need basic ingredients. So, you won’t need to spend a lot of money at the grocery store. Which means you can make this moist cake on a budget.
Candied Pecans:
- whole pecans
- granulated sugar
- butter
Cake:
- butter, room temperature
- medium sized apples
- flour
- cinnamon
- ground cloves
- allspice
- baking soda
- salt
- sugar
- egg
- chopped pecans
Frosting:
- cream cheese, room temperature
- butter, room temperature
- powdered sugar, packed
- vanilla
See the recipe card below for quantities.
🔪 How to Make This Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This is a quick overview of the steps that you need to take to make this delicious apple spice cake recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Candy the pecans
Add pecans, sugar and butter to a small frying pan and over low heat, stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved (5-6 minutes). Immediately transfer to parchment paper and spread the nuts out to cool.
Step 2: Cook the apples
Peel, core and cut the apples into small, even pieces and add to a medium saucepan with 1 Tbsp of butter. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes until the apples are soft, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and allow them to cook for another 5 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and mash into applesauce. Set aside and allow them to cool.
Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, baking soda and salt. Set to the side.
Step 4: Mix the wet ingredients
In a larger bowl, cream together ¾ c of butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and beat until creamy.
Step 5: Finish your cake batter
Add half of the flour/spice mix to the sugar and mix until combined. Then add in the cooled applesauce and mix. Add the remaining flour and stir until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chopped pecans.
Step 6: Bake the cake
Divide the batter between 2- 9” cake pans (either non-stick or greased) and bake for 24-26 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cakes to rest 8-10 minutes before removing them from the pans to cool completely before frosting.
Step 7: Make the cream cheese frosting
Beat the cream cheese and the butter until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in the vanilla and mix until smooth.
Step 8: Decorate the cake
Stack the cake with the first layer flat side up in the center of your cake plate and add about ½ – ¾ c of frosting and spread in an even layer. Add the second cake layer flat side down. Spread the remaining frosting along the sides and top of the cake in an even layer.
Step 9: Finish and chill the cake
Chop the sugared pecans into bite sized pieces and arrange in a circular ring pattern on the top of the cake. Chill the cake for 2 hours to allow the frosting time to set.
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- Frosting: Not a fan of cream cheese? You can use any type of frosting that you enjoy. Vanilla or even buttercream frosting would work.
- You could also add more or less of your favorite spices to give this cake even more flavor.
If you love sweet apple recipes you may also enjoy this Apple Cider Donut Cake recipe.
🥄 Equipment
- 9 inch round cake pans
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
- Hand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Offset spatula for frosting.
- Small skillet
🥫 Storage
Store the cake in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to keep it moist. You can store the cake for up to 3 days at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
💭 Tips
- Make sure to use room-temperature ingredients to make the frosting so it spreads evenly.
- Once you add the dry ingredients to your cake batter be careful to not overmix the batter. Mix it until just combined.
- I prefer to use nonstick baking spray or grease and flour on my baking dishes to prevent these cakes from sticking.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
You can use any type of sweet apples however my favorite is a Pink Lady . It has a crisp sweet and tart flavor that pairs perfectly with sweet ingredients. But, you can use any type that you have on hand.
Yes, you can freeze leftover cake . It’s best to wrap the cake in plastic wrap and then place it in an airtight container or bag before you put it in the freezer.
A full fat block cream cheese will give you the best taste and texture to your frosting.
🍽 More Apple Recipes
Do you enjoy apple recipes? If so, try these delicious recipes:
📌 PIN IT!!
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Apple Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- Hand mixer
- 9 inch round cake pans
Ingredients
For Candied Pecans
- 1 cup whole pecans
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the Cake:
- ¾ cup plus 1 Tbsp butter room temperature
- 4 medium sized apples
- 1 ¾ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup chopped pecans
For the Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
To make the candied pecans:
- Add pecans, sugar and butter to a small frying pan and over low heat, stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved (5-6 minutes). Immediately transfer to parchment paper and spread the nuts out to cool.
To make the cake:
- Peel, core and cut the apples into small, even pieces and add to a medium saucepan with 1 Tbsp of butter. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes until the apples are soft, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and allow them to cook for another 5 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and mash into applesauce. Set aside and allow them to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, baking soda and salt. Set to the side.
- In a larger bowl, cream together ¾ c of butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and beat until creamy.
- Add half of the flour/spice mix to the sugar and mix until combined. Add in the cooled applesauce and mix. Add the remaining flour and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Divide the batter between 2- 9” cake pans (either non-stick or greased) and bake for 24-26 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- *If you desire a taller cake, 8” cake pans can also be used.
- Allow cakes to rest 8-10 minutes before removing them from the pans to cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting:
- Beat the cream cheese and the butter until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in the vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Stack the cake with the first layer flat side up in the center of your cake plate and add about ½ – ¾ c of frosting and spread in an even layer. Add the second cake layer flat side down. Spread the remaining frosting along the sides and top of the cake in an even layer.
- Chop the sugared pecans into bite sized pieces and arrange in a circular ring pattern on the top of the cake.
- Chill the cake for 2 hours to allow the frosting time to set.
