What kind of flour do you recommend?

All-purpose flour is perfect here!

Will this work without the crumb topping?

It totally will, but also, why would you not?! It's so good!

Can I make this vegan?

Sure! Just use a vegan flax or chia seed egg, vegan butter, and dairy-free milk to make the buttermilk.

What type of apples would you recommend for this cake?

Just about any type of apple would work (it's pretty forgiving!), but I prefer Honeycrisp apples.

Could I freeze this cake?

After baking? Yes. It won't be quite as delicious as freshly-baked, but you should be able to freeze and then thaw it with no problem. I'd just recommend warming it a bit at a very low temp in the oven after thawing.

How could I make this healthy?

By nature, this is a cake, so I'd recommend trying another recipe! These u003ca href=u0022https://pinchofyum.com/healthy-cinnamon-sugar-apple-muffinsu0022u003eHealthy Cinnamon Sugar Apple Muffinsu003c/au003e or u003ca href=u0022https://pinchofyum.com/feel-good-apple-muffinsu0022u003eFeel-Good Apple Muffinsu003c/au003e might be your best bet.

What is the best way to store this cake?

This would keep at room temperature (covered) for about three days. If you want it to last longer, I'd recommend storing it in the fridge after baking.

Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake Recipe

Description

This simple cinnamon sugar apple cake is light and fluffy, loaded with fresh apples, and topped with a crunchy cinnamon sugar layer!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Apple Cake:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk or (1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon white vinegar)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups chopped Honeycrisp apples (see notes)

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix or whisk ingredients in order given, stirring until just combined. Fold in your apples.
Pour batter into a buttered 9×13 pan (alternatively, you can line with parchment paper).
Combine last 3 ingredients to make a topping and sprinkle / spread it evenly over the batter.
Bake for 45 minutes. Test with a toothpick if needed. Serve with honey butter or whipped cream if you want. APPLE CAKE IS THE BEST!

Equipment

The equipment section may contain affiliate links to products we know and love.

Notes

Apples: I found that two average sized apples was about the right amount to get 2-ish cups of cut apples. For cuts/textures, see the photo and notes in the post! I like to use a crispy, sweet apple like Honeycrisp for this cake, but honestly, I think just about any type of apple would work.

Types of Oil: Canola or vegetable oil is what I normally use, but olive oil is also really delicious in baked goods – it just has a unique, distinct, olive oily flavor. Also, I haven’t tried it yet but I’d be willing to bet that an equal amount of coconut oil or butter would work, too.

Honey Butter: Mix 2-3 tablespoons softened butter with 2-3 tablespoons of honey. Add a sprinkle of sea salt if you want to take it over the top (you do).

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 mins
Category: Dessert
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American

Keywords: cinnamon apple cake, cinnamon sugar apple cake, apple cake