Essentially the most GORGEOUS cake is right here for the easiest way to make use of up your latest apple orchard (or native grocery retailer) haul. It’s infused with maple syrup and the coziest spices that can make your home scent like a fall paradise.

However you understand I didn’t cease there. This unbelievable apple snacking cake additionally will get topped with a fluffy brown butter cream cheese frosting that simply so occurs to be on my favourite pumpkin cake in my cookbook! It takes an additional step to brown and chill the butter earlier than whipping it into the frosting however belief me it’s SO value it.

High the cake with a sprinkle of cinnamon and flaky sea salt, slice it up, and revel in with a heat cup of espresso, or add this to your Thanksgiving dessert desk. Belief me, it’ll be gone in minutes.

Elements on this lovely apple snacking cake

We’re packing in warming spices and crisp apple into this unbelievable apple snacking cake, then topping all of it with my newly well-known brown butter cream cheese frosting. Right here’s what you’ll have to make it:

• Butter: you’ll want butter each for the cake itself and for that luscious frosting.
• Apples & applesauce: add additional apple taste and moisture to the cake with unsweetened applesauce, plus chunks of honeycrisp apple baked proper in.
• Eggs: we’re utilizing 2 eggs to assist the cake bake up correctly.
• Sweetener: we’re additionally naturally sweetening this cake with some pure maple syrup.
• Flour: the bottom of this cake is made with common all-purpose flour. See under for a simple gluten-free swap!
• Spices: get these cozy fall flavors from floor cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.
• Baking staples: don’t neglect the vanilla extract, salt, and each baking powder and baking soda.
• For the frosting: this epic brown butter cream cheese frosting is from my absolute favourite pumpkin cake from my cookbook! To make it you’ll want butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.

Make this apple cake gluten-free

This cake can simply be made gluten-free by merely swapping the all-purpose flour for gluten-free all-purpose flour. Really easy!

Can I make it dairy-free or vegan?

• To make dairy-free: use dairy-free butter within the cake itself and in my common Cream Cheese Frosting together with dairy-free cream cheese.
• To make vegan: I haven’t examined this cake utilizing flax eggs rather than common eggs, so let me know within the feedback when you do. Then make sure you comply with the dairy-free swaps above.

Attempt these superb mix-ins

Seeking to get a little bit bold? Combine in ½ cup of butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, and even chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans.

This cake would even be scrumptious with chopped pears as a substitute of apples — merely prep them the identical method you’d with the apples!

Easy methods to brown butter for the frosting

The cream cheese frosting is made additional particular with brown butter! It provides a wealthy, caramel-like taste that’s really irresistible. Get all of my ideas and tips for browning butter in this publish and prepare so as to add it to actually every part.

One of the best apple snacking cake in 5 steps

1. Combine the moist substances. Combine all the moist substances in a bowl till clean and creamy.
2. Make the batter. Whisk the dry substances in a separate bowl, then add the dry substances to the moist and fold within the apples. Make sure to not overmix the batter.
3. Bake it up. Pour the batter right into a ready 9×9 inch baking pan, then bake and funky it.
4. Make the frosting. Whereas the cake is baking and cooling, brown your butter and retailer it within the fridge for 45-60 minutes till it solidifies to appear like the feel of room temp butter. Beat the butter within the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), then beat within the cream cheese till creamy. Lastly, beat within the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt till mild and fluffy.
5. Frost & serve. Frost the cooled cake, sprinkle with cinnamon and flaky sea salt, slice, and serve!

Storing & freezing ideas

• To retailer: I like to recommend storing this cake within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
• To freeze: let the cake cool after which wrap it effectively in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place the total cake in an hermetic container or zip-top freezer bag. To serve it, thaw the cake within the fridge in a single day, then let the cake come to room temp earlier than including the frosting and serving it.

Extra cake recipes you’ll love

Get all of my cake recipes right here!

I hope you’re keen on this apple snacking cake! For those who make it make sure you go away a remark and a ranking so I understand how you preferred it. Take pleasure in, xo!

The
Formidable Kitchen
Cookbook

125 Ridiculously Good For You, Typically Indulgent, and Completely By no means Boring Recipes for Each Meal of the Day

Apple Snacking Cake with Salted Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook dinner Time 30 minutes minutes

Complete Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

ServesServes 16 servings

Lovely apple snacking cake with bites of juicy honeycrisp apples in each slice and topped with a luscious salted brown butter cream cheese frosting. This simple apple snacking cake makes the proper fall dessert for birthdays, holidays, or any event while you want an exquisite dessert!

Elements

• Moist Elements:
• 4 tablespoons (56 grams) salted butter, melted
• 1 (250 grams) cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 massive eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup (156 grams) pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Dry Elements:
• 1 ¾ cups (210 grams) all function flour (or sub gluten free all function flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• Combine-Ins:
• 2 cups chopped honeycrisp apple (from 1 massive apple), peeled, cored and lower into ¼ inch items
• For the Salted Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 4 tablespoons (56 grams) salted butter, sliced
• 4 ounces (112 grams) cream cheese, softened
• 1 ½ cups (170 grams) powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of kosher salt
• For topping:
• Cinnamon
• Flaky sea salt

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

• In a big bowl, whisk collectively the moist substances till effectively mixed: melted butter, applesauce, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.

• In a separate medium bowl, whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Add the dry substances to the moist substances and blend till simply mixed; don’t overmix. Fold within the chopped apples.

• Pour the batter into the ready pan and clean the highest with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes or till a tester comes out clear. Enable the cake to chill utterly earlier than frosting.

• Whereas the cake cooks and cools, brown the butter for the frosting: Soften the butter in a small saucepan over medium warmth. As soon as melted, whisk consistently; the butter will start to crackle, then foam. After a couple of minutes, the butter will start to show a golden amber coloration. As quickly because the butter turns brown and provides off a nutty aroma, 5 to eight minutes whole, pour the brown butter right into a small bowl and switch to the fridge for 45 to 60 minutes to permit the butter to resolidify in order that it’s just like room temperature butter however not utterly hardened (poking it ought to go away an indent). If it hardens an excessive amount of, enable it to melt up at room temperature.

• Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a big mixing bowl if utilizing a hand mixer), beat the cooled brown butter on excessive pace till mild and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the cream cheese and beat on excessive till creamy, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat till mild and fluffy, 2 to three minutes.

• Unfold the frosting over the cooled cake. Sprinkle a lightweight dusting of cinnamon and a giant pinch of flaky sea salt on high, then lower the cake into 16 slices and revel in! Leftover cake ought to be saved lined within the fridge for as much as 5 days.

Recipe Notes

See the total publish for ideas, tips, and methods to customise this cake!

Diet

Serving: 1slice (based mostly on 16)Energy: 222calCarbohydrates: 33.2gProtein: 2.8gFats: 8.9gSaturated Fats: 5.3gFiber: 1gSugar: 20.8g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Formidable Kitchen | Images by: Eat Love Eats