This simple cinnamon apple cake recipe is moist, delicious, and full of fresh apple flavor. It's an old-fashioned family favorite, quick and easy to make with just two apples and everyday pantry ingredients.
The recipe makes an 8x8 cake, smaller than most apple cake recipes, but it's easy to scale up for a family gathering or down for two. Perfect for dessert, snacking, or whenever you have a couple of apples to use.
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Featured Comment by Jane:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"This is my new favorite cake. It is so easy to make, the size is perfect for two and it is really delicious! I can't wait to make it for all of the upcoming holidays. Thank you for sharing !"
This recipe is adapted from my wife's old-fashioned apple cake recipe, which she contributed to the Holmes School Cookbook years ago. I made it smaller, added more cinnamon, and shredded some of the apples for extra moisture and flavor. The result is a simple cake that has become a family favorite.
🤔 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
- What: A moist, old-fashioned cinnamon apple cake made with two fresh apples and pantry ingredients.
- Why: Simple preparation, delicious cinnamon apple flavor, and a recipe that easily scales up or down.
- How: Mix the ingredients, spread in an 8x8 pan, sprinkle with sugar, and bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
🍎 Ingredients
Fresh apples
Egg
Cinnamon
Pantry ingredients—flour, sugar, oil, baking soda, vanilla extract
Walnuts—optional, chopped
👨🍳 Quick Overview: Cinnamon Apple Cake
1. Peel and dice the apples (¼ to ½ inch) or shred them.
✅ Pro Tip: Shredding half the apples adds moisture and apple flavor, while dicing the rest adds texture.
2. Mix the prepared apples with all other ingredients and spread into a prepared 8x8 pan. Sprinkle the top with sugar.
3. Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
📌 For full step-by-step instructions, scroll to the printable recipe card or keep reading for details and tips.
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🍎 What apples to use for Apple Cake
Granny Smith, Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Ida Red apples all work well in this cake. Use your favorite firm baking apple or a combination of varieties.
If buying apples specifically for this recipe, I recommend Granny Smith for a slightly tart flavor or Gala for a sweeter cake. Avoid Red Delicious and McIntosh apples, which tend to soften too much during baking.
🥣 Optional Vanilla Glaze
For a special occasion, dress up this simple apple cake with an easy vanilla glaze. It's delicious without the glaze, but this makes it a dessert worthy of company.
Mix ⅔ cup powdered sugar, ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 3–4 teaspoons milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cake while still warm. You can keep the sugar topping or skip it.
↕️ How to Make a Smaller or Larger Apple Cake
This recipe makes 8 servings in an 8x8 or 9-inch round pan, but it's easy to cut in half for two or double for a larger gathering.
Half recipe: Use a 6-inch round or 5x5-inch square pan. Baking time will be about 10 minutes shorter.
Double recipe: Use a 9x13-inch pan. Baking time will be about 10 minutes longer.
Adjusting servings: Change the servings in the recipe card to adjust the ingredient list amounts. The instructions and baking times do not automatically change.
Always check for doneness with a toothpick rather than relying on baking time alone.
❄️ Storage and Reheating
Store leftover apple cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezing: Cut into individual servings, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Reheating: Warm individual servings briefly in the microwave if desired.
❓FAQs
An 8x8-inch square or 9-inch round pan works best. An 8-inch round or 6x9-inch rectangular pan will also work. A springform pan is fine but not necessary.
This is a moist, sticky cake. Grease and flour the pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper for easier removal. Even nonstick pans benefit from parchment paper.
📝 Other Apple Dessert Recipes
📖The Recipe Card
Simple Cinnamon Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 2 medium to large apples—Granny Smith or Gala preferred - shredded or diced
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup walnuts - chopped Optional
- 1 tablespoon sugar - Optional for sprinkling on top
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle. Prep a 9-inch round or 8x8 cake pan with butter and flour. Parchment paper on the bottom is suggested.
- Dice or shred two medium apples. I suggest half shredded and half with smaller dice of about ¼ to ½ inch.
- Mix all ingredients well and move to the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of sugar.
- Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
1. Granny Smith or Gala apples are preferred, but most firm apples will work. Avoid Red Delicious and McIntosh.2. Shredding half the apples adds moisture and apple flavor, while dicing the rest provides texture.
3. The recipe can be halved or doubled. See the post for pan sizes and baking time adjustments.
4. For an optional vanilla glaze, mix ⅔ cup powdered sugar, ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 3–4 teaspoons milk. Drizzle over the warm cake.
5. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's note: Originally published October 6, 2016. Updated with improved discussion and refreshed photos.
jane wright says
This is my new favorite cake. It is so easy to make, the size is perfect for two and it is really delicious! I can't wait to make it for all of the upcoming holidays. Thank you for sharing !
gail says
Which apples do you recommend for apple recipes?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Gail,
The choice of apples are generally mentioned in the recipe card notes but will be discussed in more details within the post.
Dan
Barbara says
Fab desert....as a help for peeling and shredding apples: I core the apple first which gives me two places for thumb and finger to grasp. I then peel or shred. I froze leftover cake cut into servings and placed them on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper and placed in freezer. When cake was frozen, I used my trusty fold lock top sandwich bags to store each serving of Apple Cake. Then put cake servings in a gallon freezer bag and squeezed the air out and zipped shut.
Lily Zandel says
I was getting ready for our Rosh Hashana dinner and decided that needed another dessert. Because I had all the ingredients on hand, I decided to try the Easy Apple Cake from Scratch. It was easy, quick, light, moist, and delicious. Not a slice left. Next time I will make it in the 9x13 pan. Thank you for a delicious experience with something so simple.
Marco says
Yum! Very nice apple-cinnamon flavor. I cut the recipe in half and made two 4-inch cakes. Baking powder instead to make them rise more. Cut the sugar by half and it was plenty sweet because I used a lunchbox container of applesauce plus a pat of butter instead of oil. Each small cake was 300 calories but we only ate half each, so 150 calories for a nice sized piece of cake. Thanks for the recipe!
Ann says
I am eating a piece of this cake as I am writing my review. Just delicious and really easy. I like that you can dump all the ingredients together, and loved the sugar sprinkle on top. Thanks!
Claudia Matusiak says
Made this apple cake yesterday and it is so moist and delicious. I made one small change; instead of the one tablespoon on sugar on top, I replaced that with sprinkling my jar of cinnamon sugar over the top instead ~ can't ever have enough cinnamon with apple recipes. I do appreciate this recipe as I am not a person that really enjoys sickening sweet icings and this one is right up my alley for sure. Keep up the good work and I'll keep enjoying your recipes!
Kelly says
My husband tried this while I was out for the day . He thought it said baking "powder " not baking soda . It was the best apple cake I have ever had !!!! It probably raised more , but it sure did not do anything to the flavor .. Not sure as that is the only way we make it now . Thank you , so easy & sooo good !!!!
DrDan says
Hi Kelly,
Welcome to the blog.
This recipe is an old one from my wife's family. They tend to use baking soda. I prefer baking powder myself, you probably had a better rise. I will try it next time and see if my wife notices.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Margaret says
This easy Apple Cake gets a five star rating from both my husband and myself. I followed the recipe as is and it turned out so super moist and delicious. It definitely is a keeper, but next time I am going to try and reduce the sugar a bit. Thanks for such a great little cake recipe!
Laura Childs says
The BEST apple cake ever! So simple and so delish. The cake itself is very moist and full of apple flavor. For the spice , I use apple pie spice according to my taste but that was the only modification I made. Thanks for this recipe is going to become one of my go to’s!
Laura
CharlieCarrah says
A really quick and easy cake -- not to mention delicious! I substituted all of the oil with home-canned cinnamon applesauce and it was fantastic! I diced the apples and I also used 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and added 1/4 teaspoon each of ground cloves and ground allspice. It needed an additional 5 minutes of baking and it was baked in an 8" x 8" glass dish. While still warm, we topped it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Definitely a keeper!
DrDan says
Hi Charlie, thanks for the comment. I have done this one several more times already with various combinations. I'm convinced you can modify this many ways and it will still be excellent.
DrDan says
Hi Angela,
Thanks for the note and especially the trial of substituting in the applesauce for half the oil. I have been planning a repeat cooking doing that exact substitute. Now I can do the Apple Fritter Bread instead...
Dan
Angela Saver says
This cake is amazing!!!! I doubled the recipe & baked it in a 9x13-inch pan. I also only used 1/2 c. Oil & then substituted 1/2 c. Applesauce for the other 1/2 c. Oil. My family LOVES it! Thank you for an awesome cake that we will make over & over again! Definitely a keeper!
Justine says
This cake is delicious and super easy to make!! But just wondering if it's possible to cut the 1cup of sugar by half as well as the amount of oil without much change to the result of this cake? Also wondering if it can be frozen.
DrDan says
Hi Justine,
Thanks for the note. It is usually ok to sneak sugar down a little. But cutting in half is a lot unless the apples are very sweet. The oil really is needed, or you will have a marked effect on the texture. You can experiment with substituting applesauce or yogurt but I have not done it with this recipe so proceed at your own risk.
They should freeze well.
Dan
John says
Would this be good 2 days after baking? I'm looking for a desert to bring to a saturday tailgate, but would have to make it on Thursday.
DrDan says
Almost but not quite as good.
Dan