Categorized:

  • Cake & Cupcakes
  • Desserts
  • Fall Faves

Tagged:

  • apples
  • brown sugar
  • butter
  • cinnamon
  • eggs
  • flour
  • nutmeg
  • sugar
Old Fashioned Warm Apple Cake - 1

Old Fashioned Warm Apple Cake

Ingredients

Cake

  • 2 cups (284g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt or table salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 4 cups (468g) peeled, cored and 1/4-inch diced apples*
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup (210g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (58g) packed light-brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans, for topping (optional)

Sticky brown sugar sauce

  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces
  • 1 cup (220g) packed light-brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt or table salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • For the apple cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 by 8-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves for 20 seconds, set aside. In a separate medium mixing bowl toss apple cubes with lemon juice, set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip together granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter until pale and fluffy.
  • Mix in eggs one at a time. With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combined (batter will be really thick).
  • Add apples and mix just until combined (batter will still be thick). Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
  • Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out free of batter (a moist crumb is fine), about 33 - 38 minutes (prepare topping around last 5 - 10 minutes of baking so they’ll both be served warm).
  • Let cool about 5 minutes then cut into squares and serve warm topping each slice with sauce and optional pecans.
  • For the sauce: In a medium saucepan combine butter, brown sugar, milk and salt (you can add a little extra if you like more of a salted caramel/toffee flavor).
  • Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Allow to boil 1 1/2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Let sauce cool slightly. Serve warm over warm cake.

Notes

  1. I recommend using a blend of tart and sweet apples for this cake. I used granny smith, golden delicious and gala.
  2. Note that as the sauce sits and cools the brown sugar will begin to crystalize. Simply microwave it, in a large microwave safe bowl, until it bubbles, about 1 minute and whisk well.

Copyright 2026 Cooking Classy