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Easy Apple Cake (One Bowl)

Easy One-Bowl Apple Cake Recipe comes together in a pinch. All natural, nothing artificial, and tastes incredible. Luscious Cream Cheese Frosting is optional (it’s vegan without.)  This cake is a keeper you’ll want all year round.

apple cake recipe
This is the easiest, most moist, flavorful apple cake we’ve ever tried.

Easy Apple cake recipe

I mentioned we finally made it to our local family-owned apple orchard. I love, love that place. It’s owned by people who make their own apple cider, jams, bakery goodies, and even crisp hard cider. A visit to the apple orchard always gives us inevitable apple-greed. I believe we came home with nearly 20 pounds of apples. That’s not counting the 5 lbs we polished off on the way home. I wish I were exaggerating.

I’m not really complaining though. Because check out the Easy One-Bowl Apple Cake I’m about to reveal. There are a few apple cakes we adore: this One-Bowl Apple Streusel Coffee Cake and this  Apple Caramel Cinnamon Cake are two of my go-to favorites. But I cannot get myself to stop with the apple cakes; it’s an autumn obsession.

So here we are. Introducing the easiest, fool-proof-est Easy One-Bowl Apple Cake you’ll ever make/eat/repeat.

Watch us make this Apple Cake Recipe


If you just watched that short video, then…right?!
apple cake recipe
All the fresh apples and cream cheese frosting…it has GOT to be amazing.

Apple cake with cream cheese frosting

  • This is the easiest, least messy version of apple cake you’ll ever make. It’s truthfully so moist, tender, and tasty that it doesn’t have to have the luscious cream cheese drizzle. This cake is good enough to stand on its down. That being said…who doesn’t want luscious cream cheese drizzle??
  • I routinely keep a Ziploc baggie of this easy, fool-proof cream cheese frosting in the fridge because this frosting is a social butterfly and makes friends with all the treats. It takes this already irresistible apple cake and takes it over the top.
apple cake recipe

Did you make this?

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Apple Cake with Frosting

Easy One-Bowl Apple Cake

4.85 from 20 ratings
Easy One-Bowl Apple Cake comes together in a pinch. All natural, nothing artificial, and tastes incredible. Luscious Cream Cheese Frosting is optional. This cake is a keeper you'll want all year round.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 16
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

For the Cake:

Optional Cream Cheese Frosting:

Instructions

  • Prepare: Preheat oven to 350F, with rack on lower middle position. Grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
  • Combine: In a large bowl, combine the oil, applesauce, vanilla, and eggs. Using a hand whisk, mix until well combined and smooth. Add the sugar and whisk until combined.
  • Fold: Gently add remaining ingredients and stir with wooden spatula (it’s a thick batter) until just combined and no flour streaks remain. Do not over-mix. Use rubber spatula to gently fold in apples. Scrape batter evenly into your prepared baking dish, ensuring batter spreads evenly into the corners. Bake 35-45 min or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with few tender crumbs attached. Let cool to room temp.
  • Make Frosting: Meanwhile, make Cream Cheese Frosting (if using.) In a bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, and vanilla, beating until smooth. Add powder sugar and gently mix in until incorporated. Add a bit of milk as needed to reach desired consistency. Transfer to a Ziploc baggie, press air out, and seal. Snip off a bit of the corner and drizzle onto cooled apple cake.

Notes

*I use white whole wheat flour, which is milder than typical whole wheat. You can use half whole wheat + half white flour, or use entirely all-purpose flour.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 47.8g | Protein: 4.6g | Fat: 19.7g | Saturated Fat: 8.4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 52.8mg | Sodium: 331.1mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 29.3g
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Method: baking

Apple Favorites

  1. Dutch Apple Cranberry Pie
dutch apple cranberry pie

2. Saucy Maple Apple Pork Chops

Pork Chops with Sliced Apple

3. Moist Apple Fritter Bread

Coffee Apple Cake

4. Upside Down Apple French Toast Bake (Make-ahead!)

Apple French Toast Bake

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Recipe Rating




47 comments

    • Danielle
    • 5 stars

    Was amazing. Tastes even better the day after. 🙂

      • Amy Dong

      Thank you, Danielle!

    • Candy Rachelle
    • 5 stars

    This apple cake recipe looks really delicious. Perfect dessert for our family gathering this weekend.

    • Yeah Lifestyle
    • 5 stars

    This recipe seems so easy to do and I am going to make this with my kids next week for half term as they love eating apples

    • Catherine
    • 5 stars

    Your apple cake looks moist and delicious and I love how easy it is to make too! Perfect for when you want something sweet in a pinch.

    • Cristina Petrini
    • 5 stars

    What a super tasty recipe, I just got hungry to read it!

    • Marysa
    • 5 stars

    We picked so many apples at the orchard, and this would be a great recipe to use up some apples! Sounds delicious, and my kids would have fun baking this.

    • Nate
    • 5 stars

    Looks so yummy and easy to make. I’ll have to make this for a house warming party this weekend!

      • chewoutloud

      It’s a perfect pick for parties!

    • Stacie
    • 5 stars

    Being easy is a big selling point for me, but what I really love is all those apple chunks in there. I can’t wait to make this!

    • Marie

    It’s not vegan with eggs in it… do you have a good substitute?

      • chewoutloud

      You can sub with “flax eggs”… hope you love it!

    • Anne Dela Cruz

    Wow!! These one bowl apple cake looks so tasty and delicious. Would love to try these recipe. I really like apples.

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