This Apple Fritter Cake brings together tender apple pieces, pockets of cinnamon sugar, and a vanilla glaze in one easy-to-slice pan. You get the familiar apple-and-cinnamon flavor of a fritter in a soft, buttery cake, with no frying required.
It is a lovely bake for a family brunch, an after-school treat, or a dessert you can carry right in the pan. The simple layers do the decorating for you, so there is no piping bag or fancy frosting to manage.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this apple fritter cake
- One 9×13-inch pan: Cut it into 15 generous squares for sharing.
- Everyday ingredients: Flour, butter, eggs, milk, apples, and two simple sugar mixtures.
- Clear baking cues: Small apple pieces and a center check help you avoid crunchy fruit or an underbaked middle.
- A simple finish: A spoon and a bowl are all you need for the vanilla glaze.
Plan on 25 minutes of preparation, 40 to 50 minutes of baking, and about 40 minutes for cooling and setting the glaze. That is about 1 hour 45 minutes to 1 hour 55 minutes from starting to slicing.
What makes it an apple fritter cake?
Apple fritters are usually fried, with a craggy surface and a sweet glaze. This cake borrows the diced apples, cinnamon flavor, and glazed finish while using a butter-cake batter. Expect a soft crumb and a lightly golden top rather than a fried crust.
If you prefer a crunchy streusel topping, try the site’s Apple Crumb Cake. Here, the cinnamon sugar is layered into the batter instead.
Ingredients for apple fritter cake
The full amounts are listed below and in the recipe card. Keep the apple mixture, cinnamon sugar, batter, and glaze ingredients separate so each layer gets the right amount.
Cinnamon apples
- 3 cups apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch dice; about 3 medium apples
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cinnamon sugar
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cake batter
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cups and leveled
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing the pan
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk, whole milk, at room temperature
Vanilla glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, add gradually
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Which apples work best?
Use firm apples you enjoy eating, such as Granny Smith for a tart flavor or Honeycrisp for a sweeter bite. A mixture gives a nice balance. Peel and core them, then measure 3 cups after dicing. Apple sizes vary, so the measured amount matters more than the number of apples.
Aim for pieces about 1/4 inch wide. Large chunks can stay firm while the surrounding cake is already baked. Applesauce and canned pie filling have different moisture and sugar levels and are not direct substitutes here.
How to make apple fritter cake
Equipment: A light-colored 9×13-inch metal pan at least 2 inches deep, mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, a hand or stand mixer, a rubber spatula, a butter knife, and a wire rack.
1. Prepare the oven and pan
Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. Grease a light-colored 9×13-inch metal baking pan that is at least 2 inches deep. Have your ingredients measured before mixing.
2. Mix the apple and cinnamon layers
Toss the diced apples with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. In a separate small bowl, stir together the 2/3 cup brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Keep these mixtures separate.
3. Cream the butter and sugar
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until lighter and fluffy. Scrape the bowl. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the 2 teaspoons vanilla.
4. Finish the batter
On low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the 1 cup milk in two additions, starting and ending with flour. Stop as soon as the flour disappears. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and fold briefly by hand. The batter will be thick.
5. Layer and gently swirl
Spread half the batter in the pan. Scatter half the apples and half the cinnamon sugar evenly over it. Dollop the remaining batter over the apples and gently spread it with a spatula. Top with the remaining apples and cinnamon sugar. Lightly press the apples into the batter, then draw a butter knife through the layers in 3 or 4 broad passes. Avoid repeatedly stirring the layers together.
6. Bake until the center is set
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Begin checking at 40 minutes: the top should be golden, the center should spring back gently, and a toothpick inserted into cake rather than an apple piece should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Check a second spot near the center. If the top browns before the middle sets, loosely tent with foil and continue baking, checking every 5 minutes.
7. Cool and glaze
Set the pan on a wire rack and cool for about 30 minutes, until warm rather than hot. Whisk the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Add the remaining milk a teaspoon at a time if needed for a thick, pourable glaze. Drizzle over the cake and let stand about 10 minutes before cutting into 15 pieces.
Baking with a helper? Save the tasting for the finished cake. Raw flour and eggs can carry harmful bacteria, so do not taste uncooked batter. The FDA’s flour-handling guidance explains why, along with how to clean bowls, utensils, and work surfaces afterward.
Small tips that make baking easier
- Soften, do not melt, the butter. It should take a gentle finger indentation while holding its shape. Melted butter will not cream the same way.
- Measure flour lightly. Spoon it into the cup and level the top rather than packing it down.
- Use dollops for the second batter layer. Several small spoonfuls are easier to spread over the apples than one large mound.
- Swirl only a few times. Too much mixing blends away the cinnamon pockets.
- Wait before glazing. A very hot cake absorbs a thin glaze quickly; a warm cake leaves more visible drizzle.
Substitutions and simple variations
- Salted butter: Use the same amount and reduce the added salt to 1/4 teaspoon. Salt levels differ by brand.
- Different milk: 2% milk can replace whole milk in the same amount, with a slightly less rich result.
- Darker cinnamon flavor: Dark brown sugar can replace light brown sugar, but the molasses flavor will be stronger.
- Gluten-free flour: A blend labeled for cup-for-cup baking is a possible starting point. This version has not been tested here, so texture and baking time may differ. Almond or coconut flour cannot replace the all-purpose flour cup for cup.
For a busy morning, measure the dry cake ingredients and cinnamon sugar into separate covered bowls the night before. Dice the apples and mix the wet batter when you are ready to bake. Once the batter is mixed, get it into the oven rather than holding it overnight.
Troubleshooting your cake
Why is the center still wet?
The pan may be too small, the apple pieces too large, or the oven running cool. Keep baking in short intervals and use a loose foil tent if the surface is already browned. Test cake in two places near the center, avoiding apple pockets. A brown top alone does not tell you the middle is done.
Why did the cake turn out dense or dry?
Packed flour, overmixing after adding flour, or overbaking can change the crumb. Cream the butter and sugar until visibly lighter, measure flour gently, and stop mixing as soon as the dry streaks disappear. Start checking at the earlier end of the baking range.
Why did the glaze disappear?
The cake was probably too hot or the glaze too thin. Let it cool longer before adding more. Stir extra powdered sugar into the remaining glaze, a tablespoon at a time, until it falls from a spoon in a thick ribbon.
How to store, freeze, and reheat
Let the cake cool fully before covering it. For this moist apple cake, refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and aim to enjoy them within 3 to 4 days. Bring individual portions toward room temperature for a softer texture, or warm one slice in the microwave in 10-second bursts. The glaze may soften as it warms.
For longer storage, wrap individual cooled slices tightly and put them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months for best quality, then thaw in the refrigerator overnight. If baking ahead specifically to freeze, save the glaze for after thawing.
For more general guidance on wrapping, chilling, and thawing cakes, see King Arthur Baking’s cake storage guide.
Apple fritter cake FAQs
Do I need to cook the apples first?
No. In this recipe, the small raw apple pieces bake with the cake. Keep them close to 1/4 inch so they have time to soften.
Can I use a glass baking dish?
The timing here is written for a light-colored metal pan. Glass heats differently, so follow your dish manufacturer’s oven guidance and check the center carefully. The baking time may change.
Can I make the cake a day ahead?
Yes. Bake, cool, cover, and refrigerate it. For a fresher-looking finish, add the glaze closer to serving. Let the cake lose some of its refrigerator chill before enjoying it.
Can I leave off the glaze?
Yes. The cake and cinnamon sugar are sweet enough to serve without it, although the glaze gives the most familiar apple-fritter-style finish.
Can I bake this in a loaf pan?
Do not pour the full batch into one loaf pan. The batter volume and depth would be different, and the center could stay raw while the outside overbakes. Use the specified 9×13-inch pan for this recipe.
More apple baking ideas
For a different weekend bake, the Apple Cider Donut Loaf uses cider and a cinnamon-sugar finish. Or choose Apple Crumb Cake when a buttery crumb topping sounds good.
Apple Fritter Cake recipe card
Apple Fritter Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. Grease a light-colored 9×13-inch metal baking pan that is at least 2 inches deep. Have your ingredients measured before mixing.
- Toss the diced apples with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. In a separate small bowl, stir together the 2/3 cup brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Keep these mixtures separate.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until lighter and fluffy. Scrape the bowl. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the 2 teaspoons vanilla.
- On low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the 1 cup milk in two additions, starting and ending with flour. Stop as soon as the flour disappears. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and fold briefly by hand. The batter will be thick.
- Spread half the batter in the pan. Scatter half the apples and half the cinnamon sugar evenly over it. Dollop the remaining batter over the apples and gently spread it with a spatula. Top with the remaining apples and cinnamon sugar. Lightly press the apples into the batter, then draw a butter knife through the layers in 3 or 4 broad passes. Avoid repeatedly stirring the layers together.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Begin checking at 40 minutes: the top should be golden, the center should spring back gently, and a toothpick inserted into cake rather than an apple piece should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Check a second spot near the center. If the top browns before the middle sets, loosely tent with foil and continue baking, checking every 5 minutes.
- Set the pan on a wire rack and cool for about 30 minutes, until warm rather than hot. Whisk the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Add the remaining milk a teaspoon at a time if needed for a thick, pourable glaze. Drizzle over the cake and let stand about 10 minutes before cutting into 15 pieces.
