This quick and delicious sheet pan apple cake is the kind of comforting dessert that feels like it came straight from a grandmother’s kitchen. It is simple to prepare, easy to share, and full of real apple flavor. Many apple spice cakes taste mostly like cinnamon, with only a little applesauce or finely grated apple mixed into the batter. This apple cake is different. It is truly apple forward, with generous chunks of fresh apple folded throughout a warm, cinnamon-scented batter.
As the cake bakes, the apples soften and release their juices into the surrounding batter. The result is a moist, tender apple cake with bright, lightly sweet pieces of fruit in every bite. The apples are intentionally cut into larger chunks rather than tiny pieces, so they stay juicy and noticeable instead of disappearing into the cake. A brown sugar batter wraps around the fruit as it bakes, creating a rich, cozy flavor that pairs beautifully with cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger.
This apple cake is wonderful on its own, especially when served slightly warm or at room temperature. For an extra special finish, add a layer of browned butter cream cheese icing. The icing brings together toasty browned butter, tangy cream cheese, vanilla, cinnamon, and powdered sugar for a creamy topping that complements the spiced apple cake perfectly. Each bite has a balance of soft cake, juicy apple, warm spice, and rich frosting.
The cake: to make the apple cake, start by peeling, coring, and dicing the apples into ½-inch cubes. Add the diced apples, beaten eggs, and vanilla to a large bowl, then stir until the apples are evenly coated. Next, mix in the sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and melted butter. Finally, add the flour, salt, and baking soda, stirring just until the batter comes together. The finished batter should be thick, creamy, and packed with visible apple pieces.
Cinnamon brown sugar topping: mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts or pecans, if using. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the cake batter before baking. As the cake bakes, the topping forms a lightly crisp, caramel-like layer that melts slightly into the top of the cake. It adds sweetness, texture, and another layer of warm cinnamon flavor.
Baking: bake the cake at 350°F for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should be moist and tender, with soft apple chunks throughout. Let it cool before adding the icing so the frosting stays thick and smooth rather than melting into the cake.
Browned butter cream cheese icing: begin by browning the butter in a small saucepan. This extra step gives the icing a deep, nutty, toasted flavor that makes it especially delicious with apples and cinnamon. Once the butter turns golden and fragrant, transfer it to a separate container so it does not continue cooking. Let it cool until it becomes solid again. Beat the cooled browned butter with cream cheese until light and fluffy, then add the salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix in the powdered sugar gradually on low speed to avoid a mess, then whip until the icing is smooth, creamy, and airy.
Apple Cake Notes:
- Apples: choose apples with more than just sweetness. A balanced apple with both sweet and tart notes works best. Honeycrisp or Pink Crisp apples are good options because they bring brightness to the cake.
- Nuts: walnuts add crunch and flavor, but they are optional. You can leave them out entirely or use pecans instead.
- Browned butter: the icing can be made without browning the butter, but browned butter adds a rich, toasted flavor that pairs beautifully with the apple cake and warm spices.
Apple Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
Apple Cake:
- 4 cups apple about 4 large apples, peeled, cored, and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ cup butter melted
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Cinnamon Walnut Sprinkle:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup walnuts or pecans optional
Browned Butter Cream Cheese Icing:
- 1 stick browned butter
- 1 stick cream cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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In a large bowl, combine the diced apples, vanilla, and beaten eggs. Stir until evenly mixed.
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Add the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and melted butter. Stir until the apples are well coated.
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Add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix just until the batter is combined.
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Grease a 9×13-inch pan and spread the batter evenly into the pan.
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For the topping, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts or pecans with a fork or your fingers. Sprinkle evenly over the cake batter.
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Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool before icing.
Browned Butter Cream Cheese Icing:
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Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
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Stir frequently and watch closely as golden brown bits begin to form.
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Once the butter is golden and fragrant, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a new container so it does not burn. Let it cool until solid again. To speed up the process, place it in the freezer briefly.
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Add the cooled browned butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer or to a large bowl with a hand mixer.
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Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
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Add the salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
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With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time.
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Once all the powdered sugar has been added, increase the speed to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
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Spread the icing over the cooled apple cake in an even layer. Use as much or as little icing as you prefer.
Entertainer’s Note:
If you are serving this apple cake for brunch, you can skip the icing and offer it as a simple apple coffee cake. It is still moist, flavorful, and full of juicy apple pieces.