Apple Dapple Cake
Moist, homemade Apple Dapple Cake is a warm, spiced apple cake topped with a brown sugar cream icing. It’s the perfect cozy fall dessert!
A SIMPLE HOMEMADE APPLE CAKE
Apple Dapple Cake is a simple, comforting sheet cake loaded with tender apple pieces and warm spices, then finished with a buttery brown sugar cream icing. This apple cake is great for weeknights, potlucks, and can be fancy enough for holiday dessert tables. I love boiled icings like this because they go on warm and they seep into the cake a little bit – so good!
This was excellent! I didn’t change a thing and everyone at church loved it and wanted the recipe. Thank you!
– Theresa
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Yes, you could. I made this as a cake from scratch, but you can certainly use a boxed mix. Just know that a boxed cake mix doesn’t need to be baked as long as this cake does. The original cake recipe baking time gives the apples plenty of time to soften. The overall cake texture will be slightly different too. I would recommend to partially cook down the apples with a little water or lemon juice in a pot before adding it to the cake mix to ensure they are soft after baking.
Sure, you could frost a cake if that’s what you prefer or try making a simple glaze of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. But if you want a super simple topping, go for the original topping.
Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter for extra crunch.
If the glaze thickens too much while the cake cools, gently reheat it over low heat and stir until pourable.
This cake pairs well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Yes. Store covered at room temperature up to 1 day, or refrigerate up to 4 days. Warm briefly before serving if chilled.
Cover the cake tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze, wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
HOW TO MAKE APPLE DAPPLE CAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until evenly blended.
In a large bowl, stir together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Gently fold in the chopped apples.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. Bake on the middle oven rack for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Note: Oven times can vary and many ovens have hot spots. Please go by doneness and not strictly by time.
While the cake bakes, prepare the icing. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and heavy cream, stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly. Remove from heat and mix in the vanilla extract.
Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes after baking, then pour the icing evenly over the warm cake, spreading it gently if needed.
Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting into slices and serving. Enjoy!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- Irish Apple Cake
- Caramel Apple Cake
- Apple Surprise Cake
- Apple Pie Poke Cake
- Crock Pot Apple Dump Cake
- Sparkling Apple Cider Pound Cake
Apple Dapple Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups peeled, cored, and diced (about ½ inch thick) apples (I used a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp)
For the glaze:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter can use salted
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk until evenly blended. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together 3/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light brown sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Add 2 large eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Gently fold in 3 cups peeled, cored, and diced (about ½ inch thick) apples.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. Bake on the middle oven rack for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Note: Oven times can vary and many ovens have hot spots. Please go by doneness and not strictly by time.
- Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes after baking. While the cake cools, make the icing.
- While the cake cools, prepare the icing. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter. Add 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup heavy cream, whisking constantly. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly. Remove from heat and whisk in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Pour the icing evenly over the still slightly warm cake, spreading it gently if needed.
- Allow the cake to finish cooling completely before cutting into slices and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I made the cake, but I think I would double the icing
This was excellent! I didn’t change a thing and everyone at church loved it and wanted the recipe. Thank you!