Cinnamon Apple Cake

This easy, no-butter cinnamon apple cake is just what you need to bring your dessert table to life this fall! It has a moist cinnamon cake layer topped with fresh apples and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar for the perfect finishing touch. Serve it with a bowl of vanilla ice cream or a hot cup of coffee or tea as a sweet breakfast dessert!

Best Cinnamon Apple Cake Recipe

This easy cinnamon apple cake recipe is one of the simplest and most delicious desserts you can make this fall! Using essential pantry ingredients that you likely already have at home, it takes only 30 minutes to prepare before popping it in the oven. There is no need to go out of the way to find any special components or equipment (not even an electric mixer!), making it the perfect go-to recipe for a last-minute dessert.

Apples and cinnamon are a delicious duo, and this cake recipe is no exception. I use the highest-quality ingredients and perfect ratios to create a melt-in-your-mouth cake with the perfect balance of sweetness and flavor. My cake is also made with oil instead of butter, which not only makes it super soft and moist but also very light and fluffy! 

The apple and cinnamon sugar topping is the highlight of this apple cinnamon cake recipe. However, to take this cake to the next level, you can top it with an optional delicious homemade apple glaze. You can also customize it with different flavors and toppings to make it even more unforgettable. See the "Flavor Variations" section below for several ideas!

Prepare the Apple Topping

For the apple topping, you can either keep or remove the peel from the apples– it is up to you! Remove the core, then cut them into slices approximately ½ cm to a quarter of an inch wide. Then, sprinkle them with freshly squeezed lemon juice to prevent them from browning while you prepare the cake batter.

Then, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon powder (or ground cinnamon, if you don't have powder) to make a cinnamon sugar mixture. Set aside the apples and cinnamon sugar while you move on to the next step!

Make the Cake Batter

Before starting the batter, make sure that the yogurt and eggs are at room temperature. If they are too cold, they will not emulsify properly.

Preheat your oven to 175°C / 347°F and line the bottom of a 23cm / 9-inch round pan with parchment paper.

Whisk the room-temperature yogurt, eggs, sugar, and oil in a mixing bowl. Then, add the vanilla extract. These are your "wet ingredients."

In a separate bowl, sift the all purpose flour, cinnamon powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda (a/k/a your "dry ingredients"). Do not skip the salt, as it is necessary to balance the flavors and sweetness! Then, using a rubber spatula, fold the wet and dry ingredients together.

Only fold them until they are just combined into a batter; do not overmix.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, then smooth the top with an offset spatula.

Gently arrange the apple slices on top of the batter, avoiding mixing the apples into the batter, as it will cause them to sink to the bottom.

Finally, sprinkle the top of the apples with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake The Cinnamon Apple Cake

Once the oven is preheated, bake the cake for 60-70 minutes, or until it passes the "toothpick test" and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cover the top with aluminum foil if you notice that the cake is browning too quickly. 

When the cake is done baking, allow it to cool completely to room temperature before serving. Decorate with powdered sugar, or to enhance the look and taste of your cake with the beautiful apple glaze decoration, mix apple juice with powdered sugar, then spoon it over the cooled cake.

Storing & Freezing

Just one bite of this cinnamon and apple cake, and I doubt you will have any leftovers! However, if you do (or if you want to make it a day or two in advance), you can store it at room temperature or in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Do not leave it uncovered, as it can dry out more quickly. For the freshest flavor and texture, serve and enjoy it right after baking.

To freeze, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap, then store it in the freezer for up to three months. 

Flavor Variations

There are several ways that you can spruce up your cinnamon apple cake with different flavors, fillings, and toppings:

Different fruit: Instead of apples, you can try this cake with other fruit such as pears or peaches!

Different base flavor: Skip the cinnamon and make a plain vanilla sponge, or if you love chocolate, you can use a chocolate sponge base. If peanut butter and apples are one of your favorite snacks, you will love this recipe with a peanut butter cake base!

Spices: Try experimenting with different spices such as pumpkin pie spice, ginger, nutmeg, or cardamom (or a combination of the above).

Chopped Nuts: Add a crunchy surprise to each bite by adding finely chopped nuts to the cake batter before baking. Pecans and walnuts make a great complement to apple and cinnamon cakes!

With different toppings: Swap out the optional apple glaze for my homemade caramel sauce, walnut butter, or pecan butter, all of which pair deliciously with apples. You can turn it into a crumb cake with my crunchy, buttery streusel crumb topping as I do in my apple crumb cake recipe. Or, if you really love apples, you can top it with my caramelized apple topping! And, of course, you can always keep it simple with a dollop of whipped cream!

Ingredient Substitutions

While substituting ingredients is possible, you may need to adjust the ratios of the other ingredients to keep the proper balance between flavor and texture. Unfortunately, I cannot provide specific instructions to accommodate all diets.

Different Flour: Instead of all-purpose flour, you can use cake flour, which has a fine texture and lower protein content but still gives your cake a light and fluffy texture. You can switch to gluten-free flour for a gluten-free cake. See my flour guide for more information on the best types of flour to use in cakes.

Without Yogurt: If you do not have Greek or Turkish-style yogurt, you can use sour cream instead, which has a similar tangy taste and creamy consistency.

Egg-Free: You can use one of these egg substitutes for an eggless cake. However, keep in mind that the cake will have a different result than if you use egg products. 

Expert Tips For Making Cinnamon Apple Cake

1. For the best flavor and texture of your apple & cinnamon cake, always use the highest-quality ingredients that you can find. I use thick, plain Greek yogurt or Turkish-style yogurt and pure vanilla extract in all my recipes. Do not use imitation vanilla extract!
2. Room-temperature ingredients are necessary to blend them properly into the batter. I recommend removing the yogurt and eggs from the fridge an hour before beginning the recipe. You can also quickly bring eggs to room temperature by placing them in a bowl of hot water for approximately five minutes.
3. Avoid using soft apples for this recipe, which will become mushy during baking. I recommend firm, sweet varieties such as Pink Lady, Fuji, or Honeycrisp apples. For a more tart flavor, you can use Granny Smith apples.
4. Use the toothpick test versus time to determine whether the cake is ready to be removed from the oven. Overbaking can result in a dry, dense cake.

What Equipment To Use

Use a digital scale to measure your ingredients, which ensures the most accurate measurements. A digital oven thermometer is also helpful for providing a precise temperature, as some oven models can vary by a degree or two.

A hand whisk is necessary for combining your wet ingredients. However, you will need a rubber spatula to fold the wet and dry ingredients together without the risk of overmixing.

This is a one-layer cake using a 9-inch / 23 cm springform pan. If you want to make your cinnamon apple cake in different sizes or shapes (e.g., a cupcake or bundt pan), refer to my cake pan sizes and conversions guide.

Try Some Of My Breakfast Cake Recipes

For more easy cake recipes that make a perfect centerpiece on your breakfast or brunch table, be sure to check out these cake recipes:

• Apple Crumb Cake
• Spiced Apple Cake
• Blueberry Ricotta Cake
• Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake
• German Bee Sting Cake

Also, remember to check out my Top 35 Best Sweet Breakfast Recipes roundup for even more delicious breakfast dessert ideas!

Have You Tried This Recipe?

Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well! I would love to hear about how your desserts turned out and your feedback also helps other Readers!