Name: Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 15
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 1/2 cup whole milk greek yogurt; 2 cups unsweetened applesauce; 1 cup light brown sugar, packed; 4 eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 8 oz cream cheese; 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 3 cups confectioner’s sugar; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

This moist Spiced Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is filled with warming spices, delicious apple flavor, and has the perfect layer of tangy sweet cream cheese frosting. It comes together quickly and is the perfect sweet treat that everyone will love!

Why You’ll Love This Tender Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

It’s easy! If you know one thing about the recipes I share on All the Healthy Things you know it’s that they don’t take a ton of fuss. Even though this is a cake, it’s still relatively easy to make and comes together quickly. The finished project is a cake that looks a bit more complex than it actually is.
Filled with spiced apple flavor! The combination of spices like ground cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom all work to give this cake the best spiced apple flavor.
The BEST cream cheese frosting. Who doesn’t love thick layer of fluffy cream cheese frosting?! This cake is topped with the perfect creamy, tangy, sweet frosting that I know you’ll love.

Apple Cake Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour: you’ll need two cups all-purpose flour for this apple cake.

Spices: the combination of ground cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg give this cake a delicious warm spiced flavor.

Applesauce: this cake is so moist and tender thanks a generous amount of unsweetened applesauce. The applesauce gives the cake that perfect apple flavor while also helping to keep the cake moist.

Light Brown Sugar: gives the cake just the right touch of sweetness.

Greek Yogurt: whole milk greek yogurt helps to keep this cake light and moist.

Oil: you’ll need a half a cup of vegetable oil for this cake.

Eggs: you’ll need four eggs for this cake.

Vanilla Extract: you’ll need plenty of vanilla extract for both the cake and the cream cheese frosting.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

The Best Cream Cheese Frosting

This apple cake is delicious all on its own but the cream cheese frosting really takes it to the next level. The frosting is tangy, spiced with cinnamon, and perfectly sweet without being too sweet.

Here’s what you need to make it:

cream cheese
unsalted butter
vanilla extract
confectioner’s sugar
lemon juice
pinch of salt
ground cinnamon

Ingredient Substitutions

Oil – I’ve made this cake with both olive oil and vegetable oil and they both turned out great. The olive oil does give the cake a bit of that classic olive oil flavor but I didn’t find it overwhelming. You could also try swapping the vegetable oil for melted coconut oil if you prefer but it will give the cake a bit of a coconut flavor.
Flour – swap the all-purpose flour for your favorite gluten free all-purpose flour to keep these bars gluten free. I love using this gluten free flour when I need it.
Greek Yogurt – I’ve tested this recipe with both whole milk Greek yogurt and non-fat Greek yogurt and they both work well. You could also try swapping the Greek yogurt for a non-dairy version if you prefer.
Cream Cheese – you can swap the cream cheese for your favorite vegan block of cream cheese to keep the cake dairy free.
Butter – vegan butter should also work well for the cream cheese frosting.

How to Make This Apple Cake Recipe

Step One: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 sheet cake pan with avocado oil or non-stick spray and then line with parchment paper.

Step Two: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined and set aside.

Step Three: To another large mixing bowl add the oil, greek yogurt, apple sauce, light brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until well combined.

Step Four: Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the wet until mixed. Then, pour the batter into the pan, using an offset spatula to spread the batter into an even layer in the pan.

Step Five: Bake the cake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack. Be sure the cake is completely cooled and not warm before adding the frosting.

Step Six: Once the cake has cooled completely, cover with the cream cheese frosting. You can place it in the fridge to help the cream cheese frosting set up a bit. Garnish with a bit of ground cinnamon before slicing and serving.

How to Store

You can store the cake in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, if it lasts that long!

More Delicious Apple Recipes

I hope you give this Apple Cake a try! It’s got the perfect warm apple flavor and is so easy to make. If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.

Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Author: Ashlea Carver
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 15 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Author: Ashlea Carver
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 15 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup whole milk greek yogurt
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

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Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 sheet cake pan with avocado oil or non-stick spray and then line with parchment paper.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined and set aside.
To another large mixing bowl add the oil, greek yogurt, apple sauce, light brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until well combined.
Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the wet until mixed. Then, pour the batter into the pan, using an offset spatula to spread the batter into an even layer in the pan.
Bake the cake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack. Be sure the cake is completely cooled and not warm before adding the frosting.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting: Add the cream cheese and butter to a large mixing bowl. Cream the butter and cream cheese together on high until smooth and creamy. Next, add the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice. Beat the frosting on low speed for around 30 seconds to incorporate and then increase to high speed. Beat the frosting on high for around 2 minutes until fluffy.
Once the cake has cooled completely, cover with the cream cheese frosting. You can place it in the fridge to help the cream cheese frosting set up a bit. Slice and serve.