Apple Spice Cake
This apple spice cake is a soft, moist 9x13 sheet cake full of cinnamon, nutmeg, and diced apples. Serve it warm with a drizzle of caramel syrup.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 431kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups peeled and diced apples Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
- 1 cup caramel syrup for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one, then stir in the vanilla.
- Mix in the sour cream until the batter is smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients gradually and stir just until combined.
- Fold in the diced apples so they spread evenly through the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out in an even layer.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool before slicing. Serve with caramel syrup drizzled over the top.
Notes
- Toss the Apples in Flour: Pull a tablespoon from your measured flour and coat the diced apples before folding them in. It keeps them suspended instead of settling into the bottom of the pan.
- Cream the Butter and Sugars a Full 3 Minutes: Set a timer and beat on medium until the mixture turns pale and fluffy. Those air pockets are what give this cake its lift.
- Use a Light Metal Pan: Glass and dark nonstick hold more heat and brown the edges before the center sets. If glass is all you have, drop the oven to 325°F and add about 5 minutes.
- Rotate the Pan at 25 Minutes: Most home ovens run hotter on one side, and a 9x13 pan is wide enough to show it. A half turn evens out the color across the top.
- Cool It Completely in the Pan: Set the whole pan on a wire rack and leave the cake in it. The residual heat finishes the center, and the crumb firms up enough to cut clean squares.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 444IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Vitamin D: 0.4µg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 1mg