This Apple Layer Cake is full of autumn flavor, with warm spices, shredded cooking apples, and buttermilk keeping it tender and moist. Melted butter plus a bit of oil add richness, while brown sugar deepens the taste. It's layered with brown butter cream cheese frosting that offers silky tang to balance the spice. Perfect for sharing, celebrating, or just enjoying with a cup of tea.
Here in Southern California, we don't have the changing of seasons, the weather, unfortunately, does not change much. I have to visit New York or England to enjoy my sweaters and boots. Luckily I can control the autumn-inspired food. Whether it's pumpkin or apple, I legit cannot resist fall food.
Brown butter pairs beautifully with the warm spiced notes of apple, so it was natural to frost this apple layer cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting.
My sister claims this as a top 5 of all the desserts I have ever made her. Trust me, shes tried thousands. Check out all of my best cake recipes here.
Let's get to the recipe.
Warm Spices & Apples: The Dream Team
- Spice Blend: Ground Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Cloves These warm spices layer in early with the dry ingredients for consistent flavor in every bite
- Melted Butter + Vegetable Oil Butter gives that rich flavor, and a bit of oil helps with moist texture so the cake doesn't dry out.
- Brown Sugar + Granulated Sugar Adds depth of flavor and helps with that golden cake color.
- Shredded Cooking Apples + Applesauce Applesauce adds moisture and keeps the crumb soft, while shredded apples add texture and bursts of fruit. Granny Smith is used, but other firm apples like Honeycrisp or Fuji also work.
- Buttermilk Adds acidity which tangs the cake slightly and interacts with baking soda for rise.
- Eggs Room temperature eggs help bind, leaven, and enrich the cake.
- Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Provides that tangy, rich finish that complements the apple and spice flavors. The brown butter adds a deeper, toasted-nutty taste.
Featured Review
"I made this cake today and amazed by how soft and moist the cake is. Yummy cake and this recipe is a keeper."
Gayathri
Apples, Spice & Butter - Let's Bake
Building Your Dream Apple Cake
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Apple Layer Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
This Apple Layer Cake is full of autumn flavor, with warm spices, shredded cooking apples, and buttermilk keeping it tender and moist. Melted butter plus a bit of oil add richness, while brown sugar deepens the taste. It's layered with brown butter cream cheese frosting that offers silky tang to balance the spice. Perfect for sharing, celebrating, or just enjoying with a cup of tea.
- Total Time: 36 minutes
- Yield: 10-14 Slices 1x
Ingredients
- 375 grams (3 Cups) All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 8oz (1 Cup) Unsalted Butter, melted
- 2oz (¼ Cup) Vegetable Oil
- 300 grams (1 ½ Cups) Granulated Sugar
- 100 grams (½ Cup) Brown Sugar
- 8oz (1 Cup) Applesauce
- 3 Large Eggs, at room temperature
- 2 cups Shredded Cooking Apples*
- 4oz (½ Cup) Buttermilk
- 1 Batch of Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C and grease three 8-inch cake pans.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In another large bowl whisk together the melted butter, vegetable oil, sugars, applesauce, and eggs. Making sure to whisk until fully combined. Ina small bowl mix together the shredded apples and buttermilk.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mix until just combined, add the apple and buttermilk mixtrue, then finally add the remaining flour mixture. Mix until just combined, over mixing can create a tough cake batter.
- Pour apple cake batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 22-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or if you gently press the top center of the cake it gently bounces back. Let cool in cake pan for 10 minutes then invert into a wire rack.
Assembly
- Add about 1 scant cup of frosting to the center and use an angled spatula to spread it in to an even layer, bend down to eye level with the cake to make sure the frosting is in an even layer. Repeat with the second layer.
- Add the third cake layer bottom side up, the bottom side of the cake is generally straighter than the top so this helps create an even top of the cake.
- Using a straight icing spatula press and gently spread chunks of the brown butter frosting on the side, about 8 times, then you can evenly spread the frosting together creating a crumb-free coat of frosting. For the top layer use the angled spatula to spread the frosting into an even layer then use a cake scraper to scrape some of the frosting off to create the naked cake look. If you prefer more frosting feel free to skip the cake scarper and use an angled spatula to swirl the frosting for a rustic look.
Notes
- *Cooking Apples: Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Fuji, Gala, Braeburn, Cortland
- You can freeze the cake apple cake layers for up to 3 months. Let the cake layers cool completely. Once cooled wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap the cake in a second layer of plastic wrap. Two layers of plastic wrap helps prevent any freezer burn. Store the cakes on a flat surface for the first few hours of freezing, this initial time ensures the cakes freezes in the proper shape. After frozen feel free to store the cakes on top of each other or on their side.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 26
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Carol says
My mom made this for my birthday over the weekend and WOW... I will definitely be having this as my birthday cake every year!
Julie says
best apple cake I have tasted. Sweet with the right amount of spice, moist and delicate. The only change I made to the cake was to do finely diced apples instead of shredded as I like the bursts of small apple chunks. I also prefer a plain cream cheese frosting to the brown butter one as I feel the plain one doesn't compete with the deliciousness of the cake. Overall a sure fire winner (and I bake a lot)!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the lovely review Julie, I really appreciate you coming back to review the recipe. The chunky apples sounds great, gotta try that next time. Take care XX Liz
Haley says
This was excellent! I made it for a party last night and everyone loved it. The only modifications I made were to cut the white sugar down to 225 g and use 1 cup grated apples and 1 cup chopped Asian pear instead of 2 cups grated apples. Instead of the brown sugar frosting, I made a simple cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Very moist, very flavorful. Will definitely make again. Thank you!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Haley, thank you so much for coming back to star rate and review the recipe. I am so pleased you enjoyed it! The pear sounds like a great addition. Have a lovely wekend! XX Liz
Gayathri says
I made this cake today and amazed by how soft and moist the cake is. Yummy cake and this recipe is a keeper.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for coming back to review the recipe Gayathri, I am so pleased to hear it is a keeper for you!!! Take care. XX Liz
Tamar says
I love this recipe! I made it for Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year), and it was the perfect apple treat. It's very moist and flavorful. The frosting is also perfect. I like carrot cake, but don't love carrots, so I thought this was a fantastic alternative for someone who wants something cinnamon-y with cream cheese frosting. The browned butter in the cream cheese frosting adds so much flavor!
G. Worobec says
This sounds so delicious! Can this cake be made in a bundt pan?
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Gloria! So funny you asked this question, I started testing a bundt version yesterday and the second time I am testing it is right now! I adjusted the recipe for a bundt cake since this layer cake is very light and fluffy it would not hold up well as a bundt cake. I hope to have the recipe posted in the next couple of weeks and will come back and share the link with you!! XX Liz
Maria says
Hey Liz
Can i use apple Jam/Jelly instead of Apple sauce. Please guide.
Maria
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Maria, I would not use apple jam or jelly- it will create a totally different texture and not provide enough moisture for the cake. Please let me know if you try the recipe, I would love to know what you think! XX Liz
Sydney says
My husband made this for thanksgiving and it was a crowd favorite! The frosting alone is the reason to make this cake! SO GOOD!!!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Sydney! Thank you so much for the lovely review, so happy to be a part of your special day! XX Liz
Rachel Allen says
Is this o.k to make ahead and freeze?
Thanks
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Rachel, while not my preference you totally can. Once the cake is made I would place it on a cake board or serving plate in the freezer for about 30 minutes or so to harden up then take it out and cover it with plastic wrap tightly, twice, then cover it in aluminum foil. All this to try and keep the air from getting in and drying it out. Then thaw it in the fridge overnight and then on the counter for a little bit. Please let me know if you have any further questions or if you try the recipe I would love to know what you think! XX Liz
Anonymous says
Jeanne says
So do you use unsweetened applesauce ?
Kathi says
This is one fantastic cake!!! However, I made it in a 9 X 13" dish - just watched the time and it came out fantastic. I used regular cream cheese frosting cause I was pressed for time. Thanks for posting this recipe. Also looking forward to your recipe for this cake in a Bundt pan.
Lulu says
I am planning to make this for a friend’s bday tomorrow and was hoping you could tell me why you use melted butter instead of creaming the soft butter and sugar together? Thank you!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Lulu, just preference for this recipe. I find the ease of melting butter instead of creaming butter works well with these ingredients. Please let me know how you like the cake! XX Liz
Lulu says
Thanks for getting back so quickly! I thought that creaming would increase the air in the batter but perhaps that would have little effect due to the density of the ingredients. I will let you know how it goes!
Emerson Quaile says
looking forward to making your cake and the butter icing never used brow butter i also would like to know if you a cook book out i would to purchase one
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Emerson, I don't have a cookbook at the time! Hopefully one day. I hope you loved the cake! XX Liz
Lizzie Sinnett says
Hi Elizabeth
I make this cake a lot and it’s great. I want to scale it up and make it 9 inch for my wedding cake - would you recommend 1.5x ?
I was then thinking baking time would be slightly longer 35-40 minutes per layer. Do let me know your thoughts
Thank you!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Lizzie! So pleased to hear you enjoy this cake as much as we do! I have never done that myself but I would do 1.5X and start checking the cake at 30 minutes (check it quickly so not too much hot air escapes the oven) Please report back how you get on! Happy Baking XX Liz