Mouthwatering Apple Fritter Cake Recipe
This Mouthwatering Apple Fritter Cake features tender layers of spiced cake interspersed with a luscious apple filling and a cinnamon sugar layer. Finished with a smooth vanilla glaze, this dessert combines the flavors of classic apple fritters in an easy-to-bake sheet cake form, perfect for gatherings or cozy fall treats.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Apple Mixture
- 2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced (about 2 medium)
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp water
Cinnamon Sugar Layer
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Cake Batter
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Apple Mixture: In a medium saucepan, combine peeled and diced Granny Smith apples, 1/3 cup white sugar, ground cinnamon, cornstarch, and water. Heat on medium for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples soften and the liquid thickens. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Make Cinnamon Sugar Mixture: In a small bowl, mix dark brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Set aside for layering the cake.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and coat a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick spray.
- Mix Cake Batter: In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add applesauce, vanilla extract, and eggs; mix on medium speed until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Yogurt: Add dry ingredients and Greek yogurt to the wet batter alternately, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, then finish folding by hand to avoid overmixing.
- Assemble the Cake: Spread half of the batter evenly in prepared pan. Spoon cooled apple mixture over batter, spreading to cover. Sprinkle two-thirds of the cinnamon sugar mixture over apples. Spread remaining batter on top, then sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar evenly over surface.
- Bake: Bake for 35-40 minutes until the center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Tent with foil in last 10 minutes if browning too quickly. Leave cake in pan after baking.
- Prepare the Glaze: While cake bakes, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.
- Glaze the Cake: When cake is warm, poke about 30 holes across the surface with a butter knife. Immediately pour glaze over cake and spread to cover evenly. Let glaze set for about 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute half the milk in the glaze with apple cider for extra flavor.
- Using Greek yogurt will give a tangier flavor; sour cream can be used interchangeably.
- To prevent overbrowning, tent the cake with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking if needed.
- Make sure not to overmix the batter to keep the cake tender.
- This cake is best served slightly warm to enjoy the glaze and apple filling fully.
Keywords: Apple fritter cake, apple dessert, cinnamon cake, apple cinnamon cake, glazed apple cake, fall dessert, easy apple cake recipe
