Fresh Apple Cake
Fresh apple cake with browned butter frosting is an easy make-ahead sheet cake for Thanksgiving or any fall celebration. It tastes even better chilled the next day!
How do you use your apples from pick-your-own orchards? We have so much fun with the picking, but then giant bags of apples take up room in my fridge forever! ha!
When I wanted to open up some storage space in the fridge, it was time for a new apple recipe that used a LOT of fresh apples in one dish.
We already have a phenomenal apple crisp recipe our whole family adores but this year I wanted to try something new.
This apple cake was a fun change of pace and a big hit with my husband who loves apple desserts. The cake is so easy, it comes together in just one big bowl and I use an apple peeler/slicer tool to make quick work of the apples themselves.
The best part? No mixer required! You can easily stir the batter together with a spatula.
Why This is the Best Recipe
I love all the sheet cakes on this site but I think this is the best fresh apple cake recipe because:
- More Apples!: This recipe uses so many fresh apples. It is just bursting with fresh apple flavor.
- Amazing Frosting: I hope you'll try the brown butter frosting recipe, but don't worry I have a few easy alternatives, too.
- Delicious Cold: I keep my cake in the fridge, I love those cold juicy apples!
- Make Ahead Recipe: The cake tastes even better the next day. This makes it the perfect choice for a holiday dessert.
Ingredients
The shopping list for this recipe is so easy since you probably have most of it in your pantry right now:
- Fresh Apples: I used Granny Smith.
- Butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Flour
- Baking Soda
- Chopped Pecans
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cloves
You'll also need one batch of frosting, I'd recommend one of these:
- Browned Butter Frosting: This is the one I chose for the recipe card below.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: If you prefer a tangier topping, this would make an excellent variation.
Prep The Apples
This is not an apple cake where chunky apples would do very well. You really want apples that are sliced thinly.
I bought this apple peeler-slicer spiral tool years ago and it has been WELL worth every single penny and the cabinet storage space.
I just run the apples through the machine and then use a paring knife to cut each apple into quarters. The slices just simply fall apart.
If you don't want to get the spiral tool, just be sure to peel and then cut the apples into ¼-inch slices.
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Prep the Cake Batter
Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds or until melted.
Add the sugar to the bowl and stir to combine. The mixture will be very clumpy and grainy feeling but keep mixing until there are no dry pockets of sugar.
Add the eggs and vanilla and stir them until completely incorporated.
Add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt to the bowl and stir them in. The batter will feel very thick but there should be no more dry pockets of flour.
Add the sliced apples to the bowl. Their juices will start to thin the batter as you stir but it might be easiest to use a clean hand and a spatula to help turn the apples over into the batter to start. Keep mixing until the apples are all coated in batter.
Add the chopped pecans and stir them in.
Baking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or grease it with softened butter.
Spread the apple cake batter into the pan and smooth it out into an even layer. Be sure to nudge the apple chunks into all the corners and edges of the pan.
The cake will not spread very much, so you want it nice and even to start.
Bake the cake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Set the cake aside to cool completely before frosting.
Frost the Cake
This fresh apple cake was just absolutely made to pair with brown butter frosting. The nutty flavor of that frosting pairs perfectly with the tart apples. If you won't want a full frosting, you could make my easy browned butter glaze for drizzling over the top instead.
If you prefer a tangier topping, I recommend choosing my easy cream cheese frosting. It pairs so well with carrot cake for similar reasons and would be a solid choice for this dessert.
Alternatively, you could skip the frosting and just serve the apple cake with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar dusted over the top.
Just prepare your frosting of choice and smooth it over the top in pretty swirls with a butter knife.
Then sprinkle additional chopped pecans over the top for garnish.
I recommend chilling the cake in the fridge until serving.
Make Ahead Tips
I really believe the cake is far more delicious the next day.
The apples get a chance to mingle with the other flavors overnight, the frosting gets to chill and thicken.
It was still super tasty the day I made it, but if you need a great make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert, this is totally it!
Store the fresh apple cake covered with aluminum foil in the fridge for up to 2 days in advance of a holiday.
It will actually keep for several more days, but the juices from the fresh apples may start to affect the texture.
Serving Suggestions
This fresh apple cake makes an incredible make ahead dessert for a holiday or family dinner.
If you skip the frosting, you might even be able to call it a decadent breakfast since there are so many fresh apples in the cake!
I love to serve my fresh apple cake with the brown butter frosting and tons of salted chopped pecans on top.
We eat it cold, straight from the fridge, So Yummy!
More Fresh Apple Recipes
If you love baking with fresh apples, don't miss these other great recipes:
More Easy Cake Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Fresh Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans toasted and divided
- 1 batch browned butter frosting optional, see notes below
Instructions Start Cooking
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 x 13-inch cake pan with cooking spray.
- Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds or until melted. Add the sugar and stir to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir them until completely incorporated.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt to the bowl and stir them into the sugar mixture. The batter will be extremely thick.
- Peel and slice the apples. Add them to the mixing bowl and carefully stir and combine the apples with the dough until everything is evenly combined. If the dough is still too thick, wait a few minutes for the apple juices to moisten and soften the batter. Add 1 cup of the chopped pecans and stir to combine.
- Transfer the cake batter into the pan and use your spatula to even it out. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting it.
- Once the cake has completely cooled, spoon large dollops of frosting over the top and spread with a knife to cover it. Sprinkle the reserved pecans over the top. Store it in the refrigerator until serving.
Recipe Notes
How to Frost the Cake:
This cake is especially delicious with this homemade browned butter frosting recipe. You could also top it with this cream cheese frosting. If you prefer to skip the frosting, you could dust the cake with powdered sugar and serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.Save This Recipe to Your Recipe Box
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