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Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
4.5 from 135 votes

Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This apple cake features chopped Granny Smith and Gala apples folded into a spiced batter including cinnamon and nutmeg, resulting in a tender crumb with a moist, fruity interior. A smooth cream cheese frosting tops the cooled cake, adding a creamy, tangy contrast that complements the apple and warm spices. The golden-brown cake is baked in a 9x13 pan and cut into squares for serving as dessert or a sweet snack.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
Course: Dessert, Cake
Cuisine: American, Vegetarian

Ingredients

For the Apple Cake:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
  • 2 egg large
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 cups apple we use Granny Smith and Gala, peeled and chopped
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons butter at room temperature, unsalted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray and flour a 9x13 pan. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Slowly stir in the flour mixture. The batter will be thick. Stir in the apples until cake batter moistens.
  4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and set. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
  5. While the cake is cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until it is completely smooth. Add the butter and beat until combined. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
  6. Frost the cooled the cake with cream cheese frosting. Cut into pieces and serve.
  7. Note-The frosted cake can be keet, refrigerated and tightly covered, for up to 3 days. I like the cake chilled or at room temperature.