Easy Apple Cake

This tender, cinnamon-scented cake is crowned with soft-baked apples.

By
Yvonne Ruperti
A photo of Yvonne Ruperti, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Yvonne Ruperti
Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and cookbook author. She is also an adjust professor of baking at the Culinary Institute of America in Singapore.
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Published September 16, 2025
A slice of apple cinnamon cake on a plate part of the cake and an apple shown on a decorative table setting

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There are plenty of apple cakes out there, but what I love about this one is its balance of ease, flavor, and texture. It delivers cozy, autumnal payoff you'd expect from something far fussier. The batter comes together quickly, enriched with yogurt and applesauce for tang and moisture, so the cake itself is tender and flavorful without being overly sweet.

The cake is complete with a fan of thinly sliced apples baked down into soft, cinnamon-scented layers. I like to use Cortland or Gala, which stay tart and supple once baked. Granny Smiths, while classic for pie, stay a little too firm here and don't give you that melt-in-your-mouth texture. A quick brush of softened butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar help the fruit caramelize just enough to make every bite feel like it's crowned with spiced apple pie.

A sliced apple cinnamon cake on a decorated table with apples and tea nearby

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Recipe Details

Easy Apple Cake

Prep 20 mins
Cook 45 mins
Cooling Time: 50 mins
Total 115 mins
Serves 12
Makes 1 9-inch cake
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Ingredients

For Cake:

  • 170 g unsalted butter (6 ounces; 12 tablespoons), melted and cooled, plus more for greasing

  • 248 g all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces; 1 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons)

  • 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 150 g granulated sugar (5 1/4 ounces; 3/4 cup)

  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 113 g plain yogurt (4 ounces; 1/2 cup)

  • 127 g applesauce (4 1/2 ounces; 1/2 cup)

  • 4 medium Cortland, Macintosh, or Gala apples (1 pound; 454 g), peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch wedges

For Topping:

  • 28 g unsalted butter (1 ounce; 2 tablespoons), melted

  • 30 g granulated sugar (about 1 ounce; 2 tablespoons)

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter; set aside.

    A hand greasing a round cake pan with butter or a similar substance preparing it for baking

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  2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and cinnamon to combine; set aside.

    A glass bowl containing flour baking powder and spices on a marble countertop ingredients for a recipe preparation

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  3. In a large bowl, whisk butter, sugar, and salt to combine. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by the yogurt and applesauce, whisking until smooth. Add flour and whisk until just combined.

    Steps in mixing ingredients for a cake in a bowl with a whisk

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  4. Using a flexible spatula, scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Working clockwise, fan apples out on top of batter in a single, even layer until batter is completely covered. Using a pastry brush, brush softened butter on top of apples. In a small bowl, whisk sugar and cinnamon to combine and sprinkle over apples.

    Fourstep process showing the making of apple cinnamon cake from spreading batter to arranging apple slices and brushing glaze

    Serious Eats / Niedle Creative

  5. Bake until edges are golden, apples have softened, and cake is just set, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer cake to a wire rack. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes, then remove sides and let cool completely, about 45 minutes.

    A baked apple cinnamon cake on a cooling rack on a marble surface

    Serious Eats / Niedle Creative

Special Equipment

9-inch springform pan, whisk, flexible spatula, pastry brush, wire rack

Make-Ahead and Storage

The cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
293 Calories
15g Fat
38g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 293
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 67mg 22%
Sodium 155mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 38g 14%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 22g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 3mg 14%
Calcium 80mg 6%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 124mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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