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Cake · 15 Ingredients

Apple Fritter Cake

Bake apple fritter cake in a 9-inch square pan with layers of cinnamon apples and a vanilla glaze. Includes mixing steps, apple choices, and glaze tips.

By Spare Hours · · Adapted from The Country Cook

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Apple fritter cake with cinnamon apple pieces and vanilla glaze, with a forkful beside the cake.
Illustrative food image supplied with this recipe collection; it is not a photograph of a dish tested by Spare Hours.
Prep*
15 min
Cook*
40 min
Total*
1 hr 10 min
Makes
12 servings

*Source recipe estimates. The source lists 15 minutes prep, 40 minutes cooking, and 1 hour 10 minutes total. Its actual method calls for 42–50 minutes in the oven plus 15–20 minutes cooling. Use those step timings and the toothpick check when planning, rather than the shorter cooking summary.

Before You Begin

Apple fritter cake puts cinnamon apples inside a vanilla cake, then finishes the top with a simple powdered-sugar glaze. It bakes in a 9-inch square pan and serves 12.

Layer the apples between the batter and across the top, then give the top a gentle swirl. Let the baked cake cool for 15–20 minutes before glazing it while it is still warm.

  • Use a 9 x 9-inch baking pan. Grease it with nonstick cooking spray; parchment is optional if you want to lift the cake out.
  • Measure 3 cups of apples after peeling, coring, and chopping them. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Golden Delicious are suitable choices.
  • Allow 42–50 minutes for baking and another 15–20 minutes for cooling before adding the glaze.

Printable Recipe Card

Apple Fritter Cake

12 servings · 15 ingredients. Adapted from The Country Cook. The source lists 15 minutes prep, 40 minutes cooking, and 1 hour 10 minutes total. Its actual method calls for 42–50 minutes in the oven plus 15–20 minutes cooling. Use those step timings and the toothpick check when planning, rather than the shorter cooking summary.

Ingredients

Check off each ingredient as you prepare it.

Apple Cinnamon Layer

Cake Batter

Vanilla Glaze

Cooking Steps

  1. Prepare the pan

    Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line it with parchment if you want to remove the cake easily. You can leave out the parchment and serve from the greased pan; a cooking spray that contains flour is also an option.

  2. Mix the cinnamon apples

    Stir 3 cups peeled and chopped baking apples, ½ cup packed light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour together in a medium bowl. Set the mixture aside.

  3. Cream the butter and sugar

    In a large bowl, beat ¾ cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar until the mixture looks light and creamy.

  4. Add the eggs and vanilla

    Mix in 3 large eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until the batter is smooth.

  5. Finish the batter

    Add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Pour in ⅔ cup whole milk and mix only until everything combines. Avoid overmixing.

  6. Add the first batter layer

    Spread half of the cake batter evenly in the prepared pan.

  7. Add the first apple layer

    Distribute half of the cinnamon apple mixture over the batter.

  8. Layer and swirl

    Spread the remaining batter over the apples, then distribute the rest of the apple mixture on top. Run a butter knife gently through the top to swirl the apples into the cake.

  9. Bake the cake

    Bake for 42–50 minutes. The top should be golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.

  10. Let the cake cool

    Leave the cake to cool for 15–20 minutes before glazing.

  11. Whisk the glaze

    Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar, 2–3 tablespoons milk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth. Use less milk for a thicker glaze or more milk for a thinner one. If it becomes too thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar at a time until it reaches the consistency you want.

  12. Glaze and serve

    Drizzle the glaze over the warm cake. Cut it into squares and serve.

Recipe Notes

Measure the prepared apples

The recipe needs 3 cups after the apples have been peeled, cored, and chopped, rather than 3 cups of whole apples. The estimate of about 3 medium apples is a shopping guide; use the measured amount in the bowl.

Choose a baking apple

Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Braeburn, and Golden Delicious are the baking varieties suggested by the source.

Parchment is optional

The spray helps parchment stay against the pan, and the parchment helps you lift out the cake later. If you plan to serve straight from the pan, nonstick cooking spray alone is sufficient.

Adjust the glaze

The source contains inconsistent wording about milk and glaze thickness. The practical direction is to add more milk to thin the glaze and use less milk to keep it thicker. If needed, add powdered sugar gradually to thicken a glaze that is already mixed.

Spare Hours · sparehours.puzzlegames.app/recipes/apple-fritter-cake/ · Recipe source: https://www.thecountrycook.net/apple-fritter-cake/

Recipe Source

Adapted from The Country Cook: Apple Fritter Cake. Ingredient amounts, method details and source time estimates come from the supplied recipe record. The instructions have been rewritten for this page.

The food image is an illustration supplied in this collection, derived from the source recipe photograph. Image credits