Fresh Apple Cake

4.60 from 5 votes

This easy cake is a delicious Autumn treat! Loaded with cinnamon, nuts and apples, the texture is tender and moist, and the exterior is lightly crisp. A heirloom recipe that's been a family favorite for generations.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 10

Total Time1 30

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple, cake, dessert

Servings: slices

Calories: 683kcal

Author: Tricia

Ingredients

For the cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts
3 cups chopped peeled apples (about 3 medium-large apples)

For the icing:

4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
1 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk or cream (optional for thinning if needed)

Instructions

To prepare the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a Bundt pan and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Add the eggs, oil and vanilla and beat on low with an electric mixer, just until blended. Using a spatula, fold in the nuts and apples.
Scoop the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350°F for 70 - 90 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out with no wet batter. A few moist crumbs is fine. Baking times may vary depending on the kind of apples used.
Cool the cake completely before icing.

To prepare the icing:

In a small mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, butter, powered sugar and vanilla. Beat on low with an electric mixer. Add a little milk to thin, if needed, or more powdered sugar to reach the desired consistency. If you prefer a glaze instead of thick icing, reduce the powdered sugar to 1 cup.

Notes

Adapted from a recipe provided by my sister-in-law, Nanon Morrison
I used a combination of apples I had on hand. One Granny Smith and two Fuji. I like apples that don't completely melt when cooked, and also prefer something tart.
I used walnuts in this recipe but feel free to use pecans if you prefer.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition