Grandma’s Apple Cake… aka the best apple cake ever! This recipe is a tried and true family favorite, packed with the flavors of apple and cinnamon and topped with the most amazing cream cheese frosting. It’s the perfect fall cake… guaranteed to be a hit!

There’s nothing quite like Grandma’s recipes, and this apple cake is one of our all time favorites. It’s one of the desserts my mom made most often, and one we all have a special place for in our hearts…. and our stomachs!

Easy to make with mostly pantry staples, this cake turns out perfect every single time. And since it’s made in a 9×13 inch pan, it’s the ideal dessert for feeding a crowd!

We LOVE topping ours with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. It’s light and creamy and the perfect complement to the cake, which is a bit more dense.

Truth be told, though… my mom made it without the frosting so it could double as a breakfast cake! And you better believe we never complained.

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🍎 Ingredients

Cake

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups peeled, grated apple

Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

📋 Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt.
Combine flour and baking soda; add milk alternately with flour and baking soda mixture, mixing until all ingredients are incorporated.
Stir in grated apple.
Pour into a greased 9×13 inch pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Place cake on a rack to cool.
Once cool, prepare frosting by combining butter, cream cheese, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat until smooth (about one minute). Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth, then beat 1-2 more minutes to lighten.

🍏 Recipe variations

Substitute green apples for red apples or use a combination of the two
Add extra spices such as allspice or ginger
Use a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar
Chop the apples instead of grating them
Omit the frosting and instead, top with a combination of 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped nuts, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon before baking

🌡 Storage tips

Because of the cream cheese frosting, Apple Cake should be stored in the refrigerator. Remove it 1-2 hours before you’d like to serve it so the frosting and cake have time to come to room temperature.

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