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Homemade and better than the bakery, this Easy Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake will become a new fall favorite! Made with boiled-down spiced apple cider, maple syrup, apple butter, and a mix of warming, cozy autumn spices. This cake is topped with sweet cinnamon sugar just before baking. Enjoy the warm smells of fall while this cake bakes away.
There are 3 secrets here. The first is to boil down the apple cider to concentrate its flavor. The second is to use spiced apple butter, it provides even more delicious apple flavor. And finally, serve the cake with warm salted honey butter – so delish!
When the apples are pretty, sweet, and delicious, it’s time to bake with them. September is my favorite month for using apples. I know everyone’s started in on the pumpkin craze, but in September, I bake with apples.
In my opinion, we can save the pumpkin for October and November. It makes it even more special!
So far this month, we’ve made shortcut easy apple fritters (my favorite), apple cider doughnut cookies (with melty chocolate), and now this most perfect apple cake.
Shockingly I’ve never made a simple apple cake before. I have apple doughnuts, maple glazed apple pull-apart bread, and even apple mini cakes, but a sweet apple-filled cake is something the site has been missing. So here we go!
Details
Step 1: boil the cider
Start by boiling down the cider. I’ve been doing this for pretty much every sweet apple recipe I’ve shared. Boiling the cider gives you an even more concentrated flavor that really comes through in the end.
Once the cider has boiled and reduced, continue on with the recipe.
Step 2: mix the batter
It’s a simple batter made with vanilla, eggs, apple butter, and, of course, apple cider. I also use the perfect combination of warm autumn spices and very thinly sliced Honeycrisp apples.
For my apples, I love to leave the skin on. The skin provides more flavor and more fiber! If you prefer, you can also remove the skin, but around here, there’s no time for that!
Step 3: the cinnamon sugar
I mix granulated sugar with ground cinnamon and cold shredded salted butter.
Just take a very cold stick of butter and use a box grater to shred it. Just like cheese!
Now bake the batter into a sweet sheet cake. The smells from the oven will be better than your fall candles. It’s just wonderful and so cozy.
Step 4: salted honey butter
I’d say this is optional, but really, it’s not. You just have to smear this all over your warm cake. Mix soft salted butter with sweet honey, it’s the most indulgent addition. It’s absolutely what your cake needs.
Serve with coffee, hot cocoa, or even a steaming mug of cider for a quintessential fall treat!
Looking for apple recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Brown Butter Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Haunted Pumpkin Patch Margarita
Cinnamon Crunch Apple Butter Soft Pretzel Knots
Salted Maple Apple Tarte Tatin with Cinnamon Pumpkin Seeds
Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze
Baked Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cider Doughnut Holes
Lastly, if you make this Easy Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Easy Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake
Servings: 15
Calories Per Serving: 374 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/3 cup apple butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2-3 teaspoons apple or pumpkin pie spice
- 2-3 Honeycrisp apples, very thinly sliced
- 6 tablespoons cold salted butter, grated
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.2. Bring the apple cider to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until reduced to 1/2 cup. Remove from the heat. Let cool.3. In a large bowl, stir together the boiled cider, coconut oil, vanilla, egg, maple syrup, and apple butter, until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, apple/pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix until just combined. Fold in the apples. The batter will be thick. 4. Spread the batter evenly among the prepared dish. 5. In a bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, and grated butter until a clumpy sugar forms. Sprinkle the sugar over the surface of the cake. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until just set. 6. Serve the cake warm with honey butter (see notes). Enjoy!
Notes
Salted Honey Butter: In a bowl, combine 6 tablespoons butter, 6 tablespoons honey, and a pinch of sea salt.
Pumpkin Spice: mix 1/4 cup cinnamon, 1 tablespoon ginger, 2 teaspoons nutmeg, 1 teaspoon cloves, and 1 teaspoon allspice.
Wanting to make this for a large crowd. Could I double the recipe to bake in sheet pan?
Yeah, that should work well! xT
I have a 9×13 glass baking dish, will it bake the same as in a stoneware or metal dish? So excited to try this for a fall harvest party I have!
Hi there! I think that should be just fine! xT
I’m going to make this for a dinner meeting next week and excited to try it. Serving it warm seems like it would be my preference but have you made it ahead of time and then served it and if so, do you like it as much? Do you have make ahead tips or would you not recommend this one be made ahead?
Thanks for all your creativity and the yumminess you bring to the internet world and into our kitchens!
Hi there! You could definitely make ahead and then just reheat in the oven or microwave! xT
I followed the recipe exactly and the cake was amazing! I will definitely make this apple cake again.
Hi there! So glad you’re enjoying the recipe! Thank you for giving it a try! xT
What can I use instead of apple cider (don’t have any on hand or apple juice. Maybe apple sauce?!)
Yes, apple juice or apple sauce should work! xT
Delicious! Everyone in the house loved it 🙂 Will definitely make again
Thank you so so much for trying out this recipe! So glad you enjoyed it! xT
Dearest Tieghan,
I have been a fan for years, so when I saw this recipe, I was ready to give it a whirl. I used substitutes for stuff I didn’t have and it was good, but not Tieghan good. So I decided, I would follow your instructions, I even made my own apple butter cause I couldn’t find any in town and had never had it before.
This recipe is amazing, I’m now on my 2nd round of it making it as directed (just this week) because my household and visitors all love it. I also have some apple butter that needs a plan! Thank you for your genius!!!
Thank you so so much Rachel! I’m so glad you’re enjoying this recipe Rachel! xT
What is apple butter please?
It’s like apple sauce but concentrated- I made some in my instant pot- super easy ☺️
Hi! Here’s the link for the apple butter recipe! I believe it’s also sold at Trader Joe’s and other grocery stores 🙂 xT
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/homemade-slow-cooker-maple-apple-butter/
So yummy! Not that they will last long, but where should you store these? In the fridge or is the counter okay?
The counter is okay! You could also store in the fridge if you’d like! xT
Made this for Canadian-thanksgiving this weekend and it was a hit! I subbed the coconut oil for vegetable oil since I didn’t have coconut on hand; worked great. I also used Granny Smith apples instead of Honey Crisp, just out of personal preference. Thanks for the amazing recipes, Teighan!
Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving! xT
Tieghan- I made this today and it’s divine! The cake is moist, the topping extra tasty and the honey butter sends it to the next level! Everyone loved it! This recipe is going into the fall rotation!🍎
Thank you so much Tara! xT
Delish!
Thank you!! xT
Looks delicious. I’m going to make this soon. Can you use butter instead of coconut oil in the cake batter?
Yes, you can use melted butter in place of coconut oil! xT
Just made this! Oh my goodness-delish!
Thank you for trying out the recipe! Have a great week! xT
Made this for my a son who loves anything cinnamon and apple. The whole family loved it and have been eating it every day this week! Thank you!
Thank you for trying out the recipe! Have a great week! xT