I baked an Apple Cake With Icing that hides big swirls of apple and cinnamon beneath a crackled powdered glaze each time I slice into it.

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I know saying “the best” sounds bossy but I really mean it. I baked a Small Apple Cinnamon Cake where thin apples fold into the batter and big ribbons of ground cinnamon show up in every bite, and there’s a sweet glaze that sets and crinkles when you cut into it.

This Moist Apple Cinnamon Cake isn’t trying to be delicate, it wants to be eaten now, with coffee or by itself, a little messy and absolutely worth it. I’m partial to cakes that double as an Apple Cake With Icing for breakfast, so yeah I might make this way too often.

Ingredients

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Provides carbs and some protein, gives structure and a tender crumb.
Adds rich fat and flavor, helps browning and moist texture.
Sugars: granulated and brown give sweetness, moisture and caramel notes.
Binders and protein, add moisture and lift, keep cake tender.
Adds tangy moisture, makes cake tender and richer, some protein.
Fresh apples add fiber, natural sweetness and a pleasant juicy bite.
Warm spice with antioxidants, gives aroma and comfy fall flavor.
Powdered sugar glaze adds sweetness and shiny finish, thin with milk.
Baking powder and soda give lift, light crumb, no real nutrition.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (about 190 g)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp fine salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon for the batter

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

2 medium apples (about 1 1/2 cups) peeled and thinly sliced or chopped

For the cinnamon swirl: 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, 2 tbsp melted butter

For the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream, 1/4 tsp vanilla

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8 inch round or 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment, leave a little overhang so the cake lifts out easy.

2. In a bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground cinnamon. Spoon and level the flour when you measure it, dont pack it.

3. In another bowl mix 1/2 cup melted, slightly cooled unsalted butter with 2/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar until combined. Add 2 large room temp eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt). Dont overbeat, just make it smooth.

4. Fold the dry into the wet with a spatula until just combined. A few streaks of flour are ok, overmixing makes the cake tough.

5. Peel and thinly slice or chop 2 medium apples (about 1 1/2 cups). Toss the apples with about 1 tablespoon of the flour from the bowl to keep them from sinking into the batter.

6. Make the cinnamon swirl: stir together 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon and 2 tbsp melted butter until crumbly and spreadable.

7. Assemble: spread half the batter into the prepared pan, scatter half the apples over it, dot with half the cinnamon swirl and use a knife or skewer to make a few swirls. Add the remaining batter, top with the rest of the apples and the rest of the swirl, swirl again lightly. Tap the pan on the counter to knock out big air bubbles.

8. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 40 to 50 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter. If it browns too fast loosely tent with foil. Let cake cool in the pan 15 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it onto a wire rack to cool more.

9. Make the glaze while it cools: whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream and 1/4 tsp vanilla until smooth and thick but pourable. Drizzle over the warm (not hot) cake. Let the glaze set completely, it will form that pretty crinkly crackle when you slice it.

10. Tip: serve slightly warm or at room temp. Store covered at room temp up to 2 days or refrigerate for longer. Dont skip the flour toss for the apples and dont overmix the batter, those two little things make this moist and not gummy.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 8-inch round or 9×5-inch loaf pan (lined with parchment, greased)
3. Parchment paper and a little butter or nonstick spray to grease the pan
4. Two mixing bowls (one for dry, one for wet)
5. Measuring cups and spoons (or kitchen scale for the flour)
6. Whisk (for dry ingredients and the glaze)
7. Rubber spatula (for folding batter and scraping bowls)
8. Knife and cutting board (for peeling and slicing the apples)
9. Wire cooling rack and toothpick (to test doneness and cool the cake)

FAQ

What kind of apples should I use?

Use firm apples that hold their shape, like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn. They give the best texture and a nice balance of sweet and tart. If you only have softer apples like Fuji or Gala it's ok, but chop them a bit smaller so they cook through.

Can I swap the sour cream for something else?

Yes, plain yogurt works great in a 1:1 swap and keeps the cake tender. But if you replace it with milk you'll lose some richness, so add a tablespoon of melted butter or a splash of lemon for tang. Greek yogurt will make it denser, so maybe thin it with a tablespoon of milk.

How do I stop the apples from sinking to the bottom?

Toss the chopped or sliced apples with about 1 teaspoon of flour before folding into the batter, that helps suspend them. Also don't overmix the batter, and spread a little batter, add a layer of apples, then the rest of the batter for a more even distribution.

My cinnamon swirl blends in, how do I make a clear ribbon?

Dollop the cinnamon-brown sugar mixture over the batter in a few spots, then gently drag a knife through once or twice to create a ribbon. Don't over-swirl or it just disappears into the batter, less is more.

How should I store and reheat leftovers?

Keep the cake covered at room temp for up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days. For longer storage slice and freeze in a zip bag up to 2 months. Reheat slices in the microwave for 10-20 seconds or in a 325 F oven for 8-10 minutes to freshen the crumb.

Can I make this in a loaf pan or muffins instead of a round pan?

Yes. Use an 8×4 loaf pan and bake about 45-55 minutes, check with a toothpick. For muffins, bake at 350 F for 18-22 minutes. Keep an eye on time since smaller pans cook faster.

The BEST Small Apple Cinnamon Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Flour: swap with a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend (with xanthan) — use same weight (about 190 g). If you wanna try whole wheat pastry flour, use it 1:1 too but the cake will be a tad denser.
Unsalted butter: replace with a neutral oil (canola or vegetable) 1:1 by volume (so 1/2 cup). The cake comes out moister and a bit more tender.
Sour cream / plain yogurt: use buttermilk made from 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar (let sit 5 minutes) and use 1:1. Great when you dont have sour cream on hand.
Eggs: for egg-free, use 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water total, let gel 5-10 min) or 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (1/4 cup per egg) for a moist, slightly denser cake.

Pro Tips

1) Pick your apples smartly and prep them: use one tart and one sweet for contrast, and cut the pieces a little thicker so they keep some bite and dont turn to mush while baking. Pat the slices dry with paper towel so you dont add extra moisture to the batter.

2) Be gentle with the batter: fold using a spatula and stop as soon as you see a few streaks of flour, overworking = dense cake. Scrape the bowl but dont beat, and folding in a figure 8 motion helps keep it airy.

3) Make the swirl more dramatic: warm the cinnamon-brown sugar mix just a touch so it spreads into ribbons instead of clumps, and drop it in several small dollops then swirl with a skewer. Sprinkle a little coarse sugar or cinnamon on top for a crunchy finish.

4) Finish and storage hacks: if the top is browning too fast tent with foil, check doneness with a toothpick in the center and expect a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool enough so the glaze sets and cracks pretty, and for cleaner slices chill 10 to 15 minutes before cutting. Store wrapped airtight at room temp a couple days or freeze slices wrapped tight for longer.

The BEST Small Apple Cinnamon Cake Recipe

Recipe by Toni Baldesera

0.0 from 0 votes

I baked an Apple Cake With Icing that hides big swirls of apple and cinnamon beneath a crackled powdered glaze each time I slice into it.

Servings

servings

Calories

392

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 8-inch round or 9×5-inch loaf pan (lined with parchment, greased)
3. Parchment paper and a little butter or nonstick spray to grease the pan
4. Two mixing bowls (one for dry, one for wet)
5. Measuring cups and spoons (or kitchen scale for the flour)
6. Whisk (for dry ingredients and the glaze)
7. Rubber spatula (for folding batter and scraping bowls)
8. Knife and cutting board (for peeling and slicing the apples)
9. Wire cooling rack and toothpick (to test doneness and cool the cake)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (about 190 g)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon for the batter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 medium apples (about 1 1/2 cups) peeled and thinly sliced or chopped
For the cinnamon swirl: 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, 2 tbsp melted butter
For the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream, 1/4 tsp vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8 inch round or 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment, leave a little overhang so the cake lifts out easy.
In a bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground cinnamon. Spoon and level the flour when you measure it, dont pack it.
In another bowl mix 1/2 cup melted, slightly cooled unsalted butter with 2/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar until combined. Add 2 large room temp eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt). Dont overbeat, just make it smooth.
Fold the dry into the wet with a spatula until just combined. A few streaks of flour are ok, overmixing makes the cake tough.
Peel and thinly slice or chop 2 medium apples (about 1 1/2 cups). Toss the apples with about 1 tablespoon of the flour from the bowl to keep them from sinking into the batter.
Make the cinnamon swirl: stir together 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon and 2 tbsp melted butter until crumbly and spreadable.
Assemble: spread half the batter into the prepared pan, scatter half the apples over it, dot with half the cinnamon swirl and use a knife or skewer to make a few swirls. Add the remaining batter, top with the rest of the apples and the rest of the swirl, swirl again lightly. Tap the pan on the counter to knock out big air bubbles.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 40 to 50 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter. If it browns too fast loosely tent with foil. Let cake cool in the pan 15 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it onto a wire rack to cool more.
Make the glaze while it cools: whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream and 1/4 tsp vanilla until smooth and thick but pourable. Drizzle over the warm (not hot) cake. Let the glaze set completely, it will form that pretty crinkly crackle when you slice it.
Tip: serve slightly warm or at room temp. Store covered at room temp up to 2 days or refrigerate for longer. Dont skip the flour toss for the apples and dont overmix the batter, those two little things make this moist and not gummy.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.