Apple Cinnamon Cake Recipe

A moist and flavorful cake filled with tender apples and warm cinnamon, perfect for a cozy dessert or afternoon treat.

Ingredients:

• For the Cake:
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 medium apples (such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and diced
• For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat and Prepare:
   • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
   • Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan or a 10 inch springform pan.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients:
   • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar:
   • In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add Eggs and Vanilla:
   • Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients:
   • In a small bowl, measure the buttermilk.
   • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.  
6. Fold in Apples:
   • Gently fold the diced apples into the batter.
7. Prepare Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
   • In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons of sugar with the 1 tablespoon of cinnamon.
8. Bake:
   • Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
   • Evenly distribute the cinnamon sugar topping over the batter.
   • Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Cool and Serve:
   • Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before serving.
   • You can serve it warm or at room temperature.

Tips and Variations:

• For extra flavor, you can add a drizzle of caramel sauce over the cooled cake.
• You can also use a combination of different apple varieties.
• For a richer cake, brown the butter before creaming it with the sugar.
• If you would like to add nuts, chopped walnuts or pecans work very well.
• If you would like to add a frosting, a cream cheese frosting pairs wonderfully with this cake.