There's something about fall that brings out the baker in me. I want to gather up all the seasonal produce and make delicious treats for everyone to share!
And this old-fashioned fresh apple cake is an excellent example of that. When apples are in-season and abundant, it's the best time to bake some old-fashioned goodness.
All the deliciousness of cinnamon and "pie spice" type flavors mixed with apples and pecans. Baked in a Bundt pan for a fuss-free, easy cake.
The frosting choice is up to you, but I love it with a rich cinnamon glaze to really make the flavor complete. It's a marvelous way to celebrate fall!
Dessert should be memorable, and I love it best when it highlights fresh, in season produce. And growing up on a farm, fall desserts were always apple based. Sweet and tart, with all the best spices, an apple dessert is sure to bring a smile. (and maybe a little drool)
And this cake hits it out of the park! All the deliciousness of cinnamon and pie type flavors mixed with apples and pecans. Baked in a Bundt pan for a fuss-free, easy cake. No complicated steps, just straight up irresistible taste.
The frosting choice is up to you, but I love it with a rich cinnamon glaze to really make the flavor complete. It's a marvelous way to celebrate fall!
Why You Will Love this Fresh Apple Cake Recipe:
An old-fashioned cake like this has a certain nostalgic charm. Warm and cozy, it is delicious with coffee, tea, or a glass of milk.
Even more important, it's an easy cake to make. There's no special timing for creaming some ingredients before adding others. You don't even need an electric mixer to combine the batter, I'm pretty sure this recipe pre-dates such conveniences. So, mixing by hand will work just fine!
Fresh Apple Cake Ingredients
Cake:
- Canola oil
- Sugar
- Flour
- Eggs
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Ground cloves
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla
- Apples
- Pecans
Glaze
- Butter
- Milk or water
- Cinnamon
- Powdered (confectioner's) sugar
Best Apples for Cake
There are many opinions on this, and here is mine: the best apples are sweet and tart, and not too juicy. For example, when Granny Smith apples became all the rage for baking, I tried making pies with them. The taste is great, but I felt like there was just too much moisture, resulting in a downright soggy pie.
Because of this, I use a variety of apples when baking. I like to combine Granny Smith with Fuji or Gala to get a combination of sweet and tart in my baked goods. Heirloom varieties of baking apples are also fun to use.
Here are some of the most popular varieties of apples for baking, feel free to mix and match to suit your own taste buds:
- Granny Smith - tart and holds its shape well. But some recipes might need added sugar to offset the tartness (this is solved by mixing with a sweeter apple).
- Honeycrisp - a sweet apple, and very juicy. They have a long shelf life, so they taste good year-round. This is my favorite apple for eating, or to put in salads. I tend to use others for baking because I want more of a tart flavor than Honeycrisp provides.
- Braeburn - this is one of my favorite apples, but it can sometimes be difficult to find. It's sweet, tart, and holds up well to baking. Buy some when you find them!
- Pink Lady - Both sweet and tart, I find these apples to be sweeter and make a good combination with Granny Smith.
- Cortland - these apples tart and sweet, a little softer in texture so they work well in recipes where you want the apples to break down a little more.
- Empire - sweet and crisp, empire apples have a balanced flavor that works well in baked goods. They are also known for being very crisp, which I love for eating. They have become harder to find than they used to be, so this is another you should buy when you can find them!
**Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for detailed quantities and directions**
How to make Apple Cake
- To prep, spray a Bundt pan with baking spray (the kind with flour in it) and preheat the oven to 350F.
- Peel, core, and finely chop the apples. Chop the pecans and measure the rest of the ingredients.
💭Top tip: use a variety of apples when baking. I like to combine Granny Smith with Fuji or Gala to get a combination of sweet and tart in my baked goods. Heirloom varieties of baking apples are also fun to use.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the oil and sugar, then add the eggs and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour with the other dry ingredients: baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add the vanilla and stir well.
- Now add the apples and pecans and stir to evenly distribute throughout the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 70-75 minutes.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a plate and remove the pan.
To Make the Cinnamon Glaze
- In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter to melt (about 1 minute). Add one cup of powdered sugar and the cinnamon and stir to combine.
- Continue adding powdered sugar a cup at a time, alternating with milk or water, until the desired consistency is reached. Most glaze is very thin, but I wanted a thick glaze that would still drizzle but also be closer to a frosting-like consistency. You have complete control over this. 😃
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Serving Suggestions
This cake is yummy when still warm, so go ahead and add the glaze right away so you can cut a piece or 2! A scoop of vanilla ice cream makes a lovely accompaniment.
If the glaze or frosting is too much for you, a simple dusting of powdered sugar would be a nice finish to the cake.
It would also be delightful with a dollop of whipped cream - so many choices! You might want to try them all! LOL
How to store Fresh Apple Cake
To keep this cake fresh, store it in an airtight container.
It can stay at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Can you freeze apple cake?
Freeze individual slices for longer storage, up to 3 months.
FAQs for the Best Apple Cake Recipe Ever
Many apples available today have been developed for consumption rather than baking. The Granny Smith was developed for both, and one of the few heirloom varieties still widely available. I prefer to mix Granny Smith with other varieties (Fuji or Gala) to get a balance in qualities, specifically sweet and tart.
I always peel apples to make cake. In theory you could include the peels, but it would result in a rougher texture to the cake, which most do not want.
Got Bundt?
If you love to make desserts in your Bundt pan, you might want to check out a few more. Chocolate lovers will want to see my Chocolate Kahlua Cake, and anyone who likes a brown butter (so, everyone!) will go crazy for a Rum Pound Cake. Delicious!
More Delicious Ways to Celebrate the Flavors of Fall
I grew up on a farm with a giant heirloom "Duchess" apple tree. And we always had apple pie and apple crisp with those apples.
If you have a bunch of apples, you can make a batch of Instant Pot Apple Pie Filling to be canned and enjoyed for months!
Don't want to bake? Apples are also wonderful for dipping! Try some Heath Bar Dip or a Greek Yogurt Peanut Butter Dip. Both make sliced apples into a delicious dessert!
And a variety of apples are recommended to make delicious homemade apple butter that tastes like caramelized apples.
And what about pumpkin? Some delicious pumpkin bars might be just what your craving. Or an old fashioned carrot cake. Both have cream cheese frosting, because that just makes everything better!
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📖 Recipe
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The Best Apple Cake Recipe Ever
Ingredients
- 1 cup canola oil
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs large
- 3 cups flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups apples peeled, cored, and chopped fine (about 1½ pounds)
- 1 cup pecans chopped
For the Glaze
- ½ cup butter 1 stick
- 2-3 tablespoons milk or water
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a Bundt pan with baking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the oil, sugar, and eggs until well combined.1 cup canola oil, 2 cups sugar, 3 eggs
- In a separate bowl. Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.3 cups flour, 1½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Add the flour mixture to the large bowl and stir well to combine. Add vanilla and stir.2 teaspoons vanilla
- Fold in the apples and pecans and stir just enough to evenly distribute.3 cups apples, 1 cup pecans
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
- Bake in the preheated (350F) oven for 70-75 minutes.
- Remove the cake for the oven and allow it to cool in the Bundt pan for 15 minutes. Then, invert onto a plate and remove the pan.
To glaze:
- Melt the butter, then add one cup of powdered sugar and the cinnamon. Stir well, then continue adding powdered sugar, alternating with a little milk, until desired consistency is reached. A very thin glaze will need less sugar, thicker will need more.½ cup butter, 2-3 tablespoons milk or water, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 3-4 cups powdered sugar
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Kristine
This was the best thing ever! I made it with a regular vanilla glaze. If I have family members allergic to nuts, what do you recommend I do? Should I add more apple? Or can the pecans be optional?
Sula
I think you could treat the pecans as optional and bake with all the other amounts the same.
Melanie D Franklin
Easy to make. It turned out pretty. I added a half cup of chocolate chips and a half cup of chopped pecans.
Great recipe. Thanks.
Sula
Nice additions, thanks for sharing!
Doris Greene
Made this cake exactly like the recipe for Christmas but nope it tasted like way too much cinnamon for me. The icing was good but couldn't taste the apples in the cake for all the cinnamon. The cake was darker looking than any fresh apple cake I'd ever made and it tasted more like a rum cake or other type cake. Sorry not my favorite
Sula
Thanks for trying it out, and thanks also for sharing your thoughts!
Angela
I was super suspect about how this would turn out because the batter was very thick and didn’t look right. I double and triple checked the ingredients, so I thought I will see what happens. It all turned out amazing but took way less time. Again, strangest and dense batter that I thought would never work for need up tasting amazing. I only used half of the drizzle and was great. I stand corrected that it did work and was delicious
Sula
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. A lot of the old-fashioned type cakes did have a more dense batter than we are used to, but they are quite delicious!
Kristine
I made only 1/4 of the recipe as a test run in my mini bundt pans. They were so yummy! Super moist and flavorful. I was sad to give any away lol. I prefer my glaze thinner so I used a recipe for donut glaze, but maybe I’ll try the glaze in this recipe next time!
Sula
I think any glaze would be delicious!
Kathleen
Can you use vegetable oil in place of canola?
Sula
Yes, I think that would be fine.
Katie
My daughter made this cake for our local county 4H Harvest Festival. She made no modifications to the recipe and won champion for the cake/pie division!! Thanks for a delicious cake. They specifically commented on the spices.
Sula
Fantastic - congratulations to her on the win!!
Becca
Always loved this growing up I got the recipe after long bothersome hours of begging but I have one ? How small do the apples need to be
Sula
Do you mean how small you should dice them up? If you look at the photo int eh "how to make" section, it might give you a sense. I do like to make them pretty small so the apples kind of break up into the batter. Hope this helps -
Kathleen
Walnuts instead of pecans okay? We have a walnut tree and have bunches of them. Also, has anyone mixed the sugars between white granulated and light brown sugar? I love brown sugar with apples.
Sula
I think both substitutions would work great!
Oma
I made and served this last night, everyone loved it! I used 1/2 the amount of sugar and oil, replaced the other half of the oil with homemade unsweetened applesauce. It was done in 55 minutes instead of 70-75. We loved the glaze recipe! Thank you!
Sula
Fantastic, thank you for sharing your revisions!
Anonymous
Thank you for sharing this recipe, it turned out great!
Sula
You're welcome, thanks for the kind review!
Pat
can you bake in 9x13 pan? if so how long?
Sula
Honestly, I've never tried this. But it would probably be similar to my carrot cake, which I bake in a 9x13 pan for 45 minutes at 350F.
If you try this, please let me know how it turns out!
Theresa Pennetti
I never had luck trying different size pans. And, I am an experienced baker. Cakes, pies, cream puffs, etc. maybe you will have better luck I am going to make this cake today even though we are in the middle of winter! We love apples. I buy huge amounts of apples for the deer. They are starving this year. We are in NC and not used to these temps.
Sula
Apples are the best!
Laura F
This cake and that icing were amazing! I wanted to use less oil, so I added 1/2 cup of oil and 3/4 cup of my homemade Apple Butter. I also decreased the sugar to compensate for that. I added raisins to it also.
I'm wondering how this would turn out as muffins? I know you said the Bundt pan works the best, but if I can do muffins, I can easily share with more friends.
Sula
I've never tried to make these as muffins but this is the best idea ever! I need to try this!
Chichi
Apple cake is perfect for fall. This bundt cake is moist and delicious. We love it.
Sula
Yes there is something about how moist this cake is that really satisfies!
Lou
I made your old fashioned fresh apple cake for a family gathering and I got so many compliments on it! My family devoured the bundt cake recipe and even licked the crumbs.
Sula
In my family, we always needed recipes to "use up all the apples" and this one is a perfect solution!
Heidi Robbins
What
What size bundt pan!
Sula
This recipes uses a standard sized Bundt pan, which hold 10 to 12 cups of batter, or the equivalent of a 9x13 pan.
Amy Brennfoerder
Wonderful recipe, perfect for fall! The only modification I made was toasting the nuts before adding them to the cake. I think this is my new go to for the holidays. Side note... It also makes an amazing breakfast the day after. Goes perfectly with coffee!
Sula
Yummy! I agree, it's wonderful with coffee!
Laurie
terrible, made exactly as recipe instructed- dry dry dry. and way too sweet. save the time, don't bother with this
Sula
I'm sorry it didn't turn out for you, and I'm very surprised since so many others have remarked on its moistness. I know you said you followed the recipe but are you sure you didn't miss something? It calls for a whole cup of canola oil, that and the apples are the only true sources of moisture in the cake.
Sara
I made this for my mum over the weekend. She has been going through a few problems and just needed to slow down, so my sister and I made her come for a daytime slumber party. We had cake and tea and wore our pajamas all day.
The cake was so easy to make and tasted so moist. We ate almost all of it throughout the day.
Sula
Oh, I love this idea of a daytime slumber party. I think we all could use that once in a while!
Emma
Apples and fall always put me in a cozy, nostalgic mood so I was excited to try this recipe, truly tasted like something my grandma would have made. Thank you 🙂
Sula
It's definitely a nostalgic feeling, thank you for the kind review. 🙂