Apple Dapple Cake has a ton of apple chunks along with a buttery, brown sugar glaze on top. It would make the perfect cake for Thanksgiving or any Autumn day!
I love baking in the fall when most of the recipes just make your house smell amazing and this one is definitely one of those recipes. When I was deciding what to bake, everybody in my house wanted this one. I think it was mostly for the fun name of the cake. I mean, "Apple Dapple" is just fun to say. It is unknown where this cake originated. Amish, Southern, and Jewish cultures all have their own versions of apple dapple cake that are extremely similar.
Try it out and let us know how you like it!
Try some of our other favorite Fall desserts, such as Pumpkin Sheet Cake, Pumpkin Earthquake Cake, Moist Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies.
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Ingredients for Apple Dapple Cake from Scratch
Apple Cake
- apples
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar
- walnuts or pecans
- canola or vegetable oil
- applesauce
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- all purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- ground cinnamon
Brown Sugar Glaze
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar
- unsalted butter
- heavy cream or milk
- vanilla extract
FAQs
Apple Dapple Cake is a moist and flavorful cake that incorporates fresh apples and often nuts, creating a rich, autumnal dessert that's perfect for the fall season or any time of the year. This cake is typically baked with a blend of warm spices like cinnamon, which complements the natural sweetness of the apples. It’s known for its dense, moist texture, and often features a sweet, buttery glaze poured over the top, adding an extra layer of flavor and decadence.
Yes, you can freeze the cake. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil or place it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
If the glaze is too thick, add a small amount of milk, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. If it's too thin, let it cook a bit longer to thicken, or add a little more brown sugar.
Top Tips
- The best apples for this cake are firm apples like Granny Smiths, however Fuji, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady would also work.
- I'm using a mix of walnuts and pecans, but you can use walnuts, pecans or none at all.
- Store on the counter in an airtight container for 2-3 days or covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. (It usually doesn't last that long)
How to make Homemade Apple Dapple Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13" baking pan with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, sift or whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar and applesauce until combined.
- Add eggs, one at a time and mix well after each addition, then add vanilla extract. Scrape down sides as needed.
- Mix dry ingredients to the wet ingredients on low speed.
- Fold nuts into the batter.
- Next, gently fold the peeled and diced apples into the mix.
- Spread batter into prepared baking dish. Bake 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Gather ingredients for the sugar glaze.
- When cake comes out of the oven, use a toothpick or wooden skewer and poke holes all over the cake while it is still hot.
- Place glaze ingredients into a small saucepan.
- Bring glaze to a boil and continuously stir for one minute.
- Remove glaze from heat and pour over the top of the hot cake. Serve hot, cold or with ice cream on top. Enjoy!
Homemade Apple Dapple Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Apple Cake
- 4 cups apples, peeled and diced (about 1 ¾ pounds)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
- ½ cup applesauce
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sugar Glaze
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (half of a stick) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream or milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Apple Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9×13″ baking pan with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, sift or whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar and applesauce until combined.
- Add eggs, one at a time and mix well after each addition, then add vanilla extract. Scrape down sides as needed.
- Mix dry ingredients to the wet ingredients on low speed.
- Fold nuts into the batter.
- Next, gently fold the peeled and diced apples into the mix.
- Spread batter into prepared baking dish. Bake 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- When cake comes out of the oven, use a toothpick or wooden skewer and poke holes all over the cake while it is still hot.
Sugar Glaze
- Gather ingredients for the sugar glaze.
- Place glaze ingredients into a small saucepan.
- Bring glaze to a boil and continuously stir for one minute.
- Remove glaze from heat and pour over the top of the hot cake. Serve hot, cold or with ice cream on top. Enjoy!
Anonymous
I made this apple cake for a church function and they all loved it. I just made another one for church and they can’t wait to eat it.
Jill Lockridge
That is wonderful to hear! Thank you so much!