Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Nothing captures the essence of autumn quite like the aroma of apples and warm spices baking in the oven. This Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting transforms fresh apples into a moist, tender bundt cake that’s studded with plump raisins and crunchy walnuts. What makes this recipe truly special is how it balances the natural sweetness of apples with aromatic spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, all topped with a rich cream cheese frosting that melts slightly into the warm cake.

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Why This Recipe Works

The magic happens when fresh apples release their moisture during baking, creating an incredibly moist cake that stays tender for days. The combination of butter and eggs provides richness, while the warm spices complement rather than overpower the apple flavor. Baking in a bundt pan ensures even cooking and creates an elegant presentation that needs no special decorating skills.

Apple Spice Cake Ingredients

For the Cake:

• Butter – Provides rich flavor and tender crumb when properly creamed
• Large eggs – Add structure and richness to the batter
• Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cake and helps create a tender texture
• All-purpose flour – Forms the structure and foundation of the cake
• Baking soda – Provides leavening for a light, fluffy texture
• Salt – Enhances all flavors and balances sweetness
• Ground cinnamon – Adds warm, aromatic spice that complements apples
• Ground nutmeg – Contributes subtle warmth and complexity
• Fresh apples – Provide moisture, flavor, and textural interest
• Raisins – Add chewy sweetness and traditional fall flavor
• Walnuts – Contribute crunch and nutty richness

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Cream cheese – Creates a rich, tangy base for the frosting
• Powdered sugar – Sweetens and provides proper consistency
• Milk-Thins frosting to a spreadable consistency
• Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and rounds out flavors

How to Make Apple Spice Cake

1. Cream butter, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl.

2. Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg) to the creamed mixture. Mix using an electric mixer on medium speed until just combined. Be sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

3. Add apples, raisins, and nuts. Stir and fold in the fruit and nuts until combined.

4. Pour the batter into a prepared pan bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees oven for 1 hour. Remove the cake from the oven and cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan to a wire rack and let it cool to room temperature.

5. Combine all frosting ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a mixer until smooth.

6. Spread the frosting over the cake. You can garnish the cake with a sprinkling of lightly toasted chopped walnuts.

Recipe Variations to Top the Apple Spice Cake

Cream cheese frosting is a rich and delicious addition, but it is not the only option. Besides skipping any topping, an acceptable choice, there are other options. Try one of these or use your favorite recipe:

• Vanilla Bourbon Glaze: Whisk together 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar, 4 tablespoons of milk, 3 teaspoons of bourbon, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a medium bowl.
• Apple Cider Glaze: Whisk together 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar and a 1/2 cup of apple cider.
• Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting: Add 1/2 cup of light brown sugar to the frosting. You may need to add a little cream or milk if the frosting is too thick to spread.
• Caramel Sauce: Use store-bought caramel sauce.
• Cinnamon and Sugar: Whisk together 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on the cake immediately after removing it from the oven to allow the sugar to melt slightly.
• Vanilla Ice Cream: Skip the frosting and top warm apple spice cake with ice cream.

What to Serve with Apple Spice Cake

Elevate your apple cake experience with some of these additions!

1. Whipped Cream: Light and fluffy, it complements the cake’s texture and spices.
2. Dusted Powdered Sugar: A simple yet elegant touch.
3. Warm Custard: Offers a creamy and indulgent complement to the cake.
4. Cinnamon Coffee: The spicy notes of this coffee complement the cake.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

• Refrigerator Storage: Store covered cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, as the cream cheese frosting is perishable. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.
• Reheating Method: Individual slices can be warmed in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. Do not reheat the entire frosted cake as the frosting will melt.
• Freezing: Wrap the unfrosted cake tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before frosting and serving.

Favorite Apple Recipes

• Apple Bread Pudding
• Apple Coffee Cake
• Bisquick Apple Dump Cake
• Apple Cinnamon Muffins
• Fried Apples
• Homemade Apple Crisp
• Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

Popular Cake Recipes

• Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
• Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake
• Jello Poke Cake
• Lemon Cream Cake
• Pound Cake From Cake Mix

Check out my easy cake recipes and the best fall recipes here on CopyKat!

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This recipe is from the archives of my grandmother, Ethel Eynard. Jefferson City, MO. 1988.