Easy Country Apple Cake

This simple apple cake recipe for fall combines fresh apples, warm cinnamon, and pantry staples for a dessert that’s super easy to make.

Old-fashioned country apple cake is an easy homemade dessert that’s just as welcome with an afternoon cup of coffee as it is after dinner.

Slice of easy country apple cake served on a white plate. The cake pan and fresh apples are in the background.

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There’s something about an old-fashioned apple cake that makes you feel right at home once apple season rolls around.

Made with fresh apples and a handful of everyday pantry staples, it’s the kind of cake that’s simple enough for an ordinary afternoon but special enough to share with family and friends.

This is one of those recipes that works just as well with a cup of coffee in the morning as it does after supper. The tender cake, bits of sweet apple, and cinnamon sugar topping come together without a long ingredient list or anything complicated.

If you’ve been looking for a simple apple cake recipe for fall, this one is perfect to keep on hand!

Autumn Apple Recipes:

Overhead view of a slice of old-fashioned apple cake, drizzled with caramel sauce and topped with a scoop of ice cream.

Old-Fashioned Country Apple Cake

This country apple cake keeps the focus on the apples instead of covering them up with lots of extra ingredients. It’s the type of cake your grandmother would make.

Fresh diced apples stay soft as the cake bakes, adding moisture and little pockets of fruit throughout every slice.

The cinnamon sugar on top gives the cake a lightly crisp finish that pairs nicely with the tender crumb underneath.

Another reason this recipe works so well is its flexibility. Sour cream gives the cake a slightly richer texture, but milk works beautifully if that’s what you have on hand.

You can also use different apple varieties depending on what’s available, making this cake with fresh apples easy to enjoy throughout the season.

It can even be baked ahead of time since it stays moist for several days when covered.

Overhead view of a fresh apple cake baked in a stoneware pie pan.

How to Make an Easy Apple Cake

It’s really easy to make cake with fresh apples.

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Unsalted Butter
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Milk Or Sour Cream
  • Vanilla Extract
  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Baking Powder
  • Apples
  • Sugar
  • Ground Cinnamon
Slice of apple cake made with fresh apples, topped with ice cream and caramel sauce. The cake pan and two fresh apples are in the background.

How to Make It:

Combine the wet ingredients. First, you’ll beat together sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, milk (or sour cream), and vanilla extract.

Mix to combine. The mixture may look clumpy at this point, but that’s normal.

two photos; one shows butter and sugar in a mixing bowl; the other shows eggs and vanilla extract added to the creamed butter and sugar.

Add the dry ingredients. Then, you’ll add flour and baking powder, mixing on low speed just until combined.

two photos; one shows dry ingredients added to wet ingredients in a mixing bowl; the other shows the ingredients mixed together into a cake batter.

Fold in the apples. Then, you’ll gently fold the diced apples into the batter until they’re incorporated throughout. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Two photos; one shows fresh diced apples added to the cake batter; the other shows the apples folded into the batter.

Bake the cake. Then, you’ll bake in a preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

You can serve warm or let the cake cool completely before slicing and serving.

Two photos; one shows apple cake batter in a pan; the other shows cinnamon sugar mixture sprinkled over the top of the batter.

Notes and Adaptations:

  • This can can be served for dessert or breakfast. Enjoy it as-is or add a scoop of ice cream and caramel drizzle to dress it up.
  • Leftover cake can be covered tightly and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Slice of apple cake made with grandma's recipe served on a white plate. Two apples are in the background.
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Country Apple Cake

Author: Chrysti Benner
Serves: 8 Servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
This old-fashioned apple cake is made with fresh apples and a few pantry staples, so it's easy to whip up anytime the craving strikes. It makes a delicious dessert or breakfast!

Ingredients
 

For Cake Batter:

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons milk or sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 apples (peeled and diced; approx. 1.5 cups)

For Topping:

  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9-inch cake pan or pie plate. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer), beat together sugar and butter until pale and fluffy.
  • Add eggs, milk (or sour cream), and vanilla extract. Mix to combine. The mixture may look clumpy at this point, but that's normal.
  • Add flour and baking powder, mixing on low speed just until combined.
  • Gently fold the diced apples into the batter until they're incorporated throughout. Spread batter into prepared pan.
  • Bake in preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • You can serve warm or let the cake cool completely.

Notes

  • This can can be served for dessert or breakfast. Enjoy it as-is or add a scoop of ice cream and caramel drizzle to dress it up.
  • Leftover cake can be covered tightly and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 623IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition info is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

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Two photos; one shows a slice of apple cake topped with ice cream and caramel sauce; the other shows the country apple cake in the baking dish.

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