Spiced Cinnamon Apple Cake
Let’s be honest—fruit cake and I have never really gotten along. Every December, shelves fill up with them, and every year I find myself thinking, “That’s more than enough.” It’s just not something I reach for. So when this month’s Foodie Extravaganza theme turned out to be fruit cake, I almost sat it out entirely.
Then I decided to flip the idea around: instead of forcing a traditional fruit cake, why not bake something with fruit I actually enjoy? Something cozy, spiced, and homey—something worth sharing. What came out of the oven disappeared faster than expected. I gave a few away, but most of it didn’t last long at all.
🍏 A Taste of the Orchard
Some friends of mine run an apple orchard that feels like a dream during harvest season—apples, pears, peaches, tomatoes, corn, potatoes, green beans, peas… just about everything you can imagine. They’ve brought over bags of apples more than once this fall, and I even put some up for later use. The final batch ended up in this cake.
I baked it in several small loaf pans for gifting, plus a couple of 6-inch round pans for the rest. It also works well in a standard 9×13 pan or a bundt pan if you want a more classic presentation.
📋 Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup oat flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 3 tbsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
- 3 cups diced apples
- 1½ cups chopped pecans
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
🍽️ Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease your chosen baking pans.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Step 3: Add the Spices
Mix in the salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and ginger until evenly combined.
Step 4: Incorporate the Flour
Gradually add the all-purpose flour and oat flour, stirring until the batter is fully blended.
Step 5: Add Fruit and Nuts
Stir in the applesauce, then gently fold in the diced apples and chopped pecans.
Step 6: Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 7: Make the Glaze
Once the cakes have cooled, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. Adjust with a little extra milk if needed.
Step 8: Finish and Serve
Drizzle or pipe the glaze over the cooled cakes. Let it set slightly before slicing and serving.
