This German Spiced Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is definitely one German dessert that's absolutely perfect for the Autumn baking season.
It's a moist, delicious spice cake accompanied with warm, cozy spices of cinnamon and nutmeg, and has a bountiful abundance of mini chunks of apples and crunchy pecans baked right in!
But let's not forget...There's an adequate, layer of enticing cream cheese frosting on top, which just makes it even more mouth-watering and do I dare-say addicting? Or should we just not go there?
For the record, this cream cheese frosting is really what makes this cake even more amazing!
I say we go there! Am I drawing you in? It has delicious, creamy tangy and buttery tones, which help bring out all those spices and flavors of the cake even more. We have the Dreamy Apple Cake Love!
Regardless, you can enjoy it with no frosting, but you're missing out! You won't want to miss out on this Chocolate Swirl Peanut Butter Banana Bread either!
Ingredients You Need
German Spiced Apple Cake
- eggs
- granulated sugar
- oil of choice I used olive oil
, but you can use canola, avocado or vegetable oil
- unsweetened applesauce
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour, I used ½ whole wheat flour and ½ all purpose flour
- ground cinnamon
- nutmeg
- baking soda
- salt
- tart apples peeled and very finely chopped or grated (I used Granny Smith)
- chopped pecans
or walnuts toasted if preferred
Cream Cheese Frosting
- cream cheese
- butter
- confectioners' sugar
- vanilla extract
- salt
How to Make Apple Spice Cake Recipe
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.
German Spiced Apple Cake
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, oil, applesauce and vanilla extract until completely combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir to combine.
- Fold in apples and pecans or walnuts. Spread very thick batter into prepared pan.
- Bake 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer until smooth.
- Add vanilla extract, salt and confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Spread on top of cake. Add more pecans or walnuts if you want extra.
- Store leftovers in refrigerator or serve room temperature.
Substitutions
- If you don't want to frost, you can dust with powdered sugar to give it a nice look.
- For the applesauce, you can substitute another ½ cup oil - to make it a total 1 cup of oil minus the applesauce.
For more intense flavor and crunchiness, you can toast the pecans or walnuts.
- The simplest way to toast nuts is in a medium oven (325°F).
- Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet with a rim and toast 5 - 10 minutes.
- When they’re lightly browned and the aromatic smell of the nuts roasting hits your schnoz, you'll know they are done and ready. 🙂
- YUM! Let cool before adding to your cake.
This apple spice cake recipe is great for a fall picnic, snacking (which is what I do) tailgating or taking to a friend, neighbor or family just because.
It's a favorite fall dessert for sure!
More Apple Desserts We Love!!
- Easy Dutch Crumble Apple Pie Bars
- Salted Caramel Chip Apple Blondies
- Easy Applesauce Bars
- Swedish Apple Pie (aka Apple Crack)
- Caramel Apple Toffee Cake
- Ultimate Soft Caramel Apple Drop Cookies
- Apple Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
- Awesome Country Apple Fritter Bread!
- 25 Apple-icious Desserts That'll Tempt You
- Heavenly Baked Apple Dumplings
German Spiced Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
German Spiced Apple Cake
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ½ cup oil of choice I used olive oil, but you can use canola, avocado or vegetable oil
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour I used ½ whole wheat flour and ½ all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups tart apples peeled and very finely chopped or grated (I used Granny Smith)
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts toasted if preferred
FROSTING
- 1 package 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 teaspoons butter softened
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.
German Spiced Apple Cake
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, oil, applesauce and vanilla extract until completely combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir to combine.
- Fold in apples and pecans or walnuts. Spread very thick batter into prepared pan.
- Bake 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer until smooth.
- Add vanilla extract, salt and confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Spread on top of cake. Add more pecans or walnuts if you want extra.
- Store leftovers in refrigerator or serve room temperature.
Notes
- If you don't want to frost, you can dust with powdered sugar to give it a nice look.
- For the applesauce, you can substitute another ½ cup oil - to make it a total 1 cup of oil minus the applesauce.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home
Catherine says
This cake looks heavenly, Kim!! One of my favorite flavor combinations from childhood. And that cream cheese frosting has me sold! 😀
ChocolaTess says
Aww thank you Catherine! That is so sweet of you! xoxo
heather (delicious not gorgeous) says
you don't even have to draw me in: i see apple cake and i'm there (: the apple cake of my childhood didn't have cream cheese frosting but dang, it really should have! sounds super decadent and tangy and fantastic with it :3
ChocolaTess says
Heather, I had the apple cake without the cream cheese frosting too, but now I wonder why? I don't remember my mom making cream cheese frosting ever!
2pots2cook says
Perfect combination. I'm in ! Thank you so much !
ChocolaTess says
Awww thank you so much 2pots2cook! It really is the perfect combination!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
Mmmm. Looks so yummy! Loving the chunks of apples and the spices! I want a slice of this now 🙂
ChocolaTess says
Thank you Kelly! It is sooo yummy! 😀
leanne | Crumb top baking says
This cake sounds so perfect for fall! Love the look of those apples in the cake. And the cream cheese frosting looks so good!
ChocolaTess says
Thank you so much Leanne!
teresa says
Looks wonderful, Kim.
ChocolaTess says
Thank you Teresa! I barely got any of it, thankfully I got what I did. LOL!:D
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
I love how moist this looks!! All of those spices too...apple cake is one of my favourites!!
Deepika|TheLoveOfCakes says
It looks so moist Kim! And it's jam packed with those apples!! There's nothing as comforting as a perfectly spiced apple cake :). Even more perfect with that buttery cream cheese frosting!
ChocolaTess says
It definitely is comforting Deepika. Thank you so much! 🙂
Ashika | Gardening Foodie says
OH I absolutely love apple cake and this looks so amazingly delicious. And definitely adding the frosting...it really will add to the deliciousness. So pinning, saving and baking!!!!!?
ChocolaTess says
Thank you Ashika! I love this recipe because it's so versatile! You can make it healthier and change out so many ingredients to your liking. Thank you for pinning and I hope you enjoy it!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
Apple cake is my new favorite and this one looks TO DIE FOR! Just give me a fork and I'll eat the whole thing myself!
ChocolaTess says
Aww thank you Kelsie! It's hard to stop eating it, I'll tell you that! 😀