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Apple Dapple Cake is an easy, vintage cake recipe loaded with apples and nuts, and a sweet buttery glaze on top.
This Apple Dapple Cake is one of those old-fashioned, vintage recipes that everyone absolutely loves!
It’s a super moist, dense, vanilla-infused cake that is loaded up with chunks of apples and nuts throughout.
To make this easy apple cake even better – as soon as it comes out of the oven – you’ll pour a caramel-like butter and brown sugar glaze over the top. It seeps in while the Apple Dabble Cake is still warm – and it makes this heavenly cake just that much more delicious!
What is Apple Dapple Cake?
Apple Dabble Cake is an old vintage apple-nut cake recipe that has been around for decades. It seems that everyone’s grandmother had this recipe in their collection!
Some people claim that this easy, glazed apple cake is an old Amish recipe. Others say it has Southern roots – especially if you use pecans as the nuts in your cake. We’ve also seen a similar recipe – without the glaze – on a Jewish recipe blog which notes that the oil-based batter (vs lard) made this cake suitable for kosher diets.
Regardless of the origin – this Apple Dapple Cake is fantastic!
What kind of apples should I use?
This recipe calls for the Granny Smith variety of apples – in part, because their tartness helps balance the sweetness of cake. Granny Smiths are also ideal for baking because they stay relatively firm when baked, so you’ll see and taste the apples in your cake.
Alternately, you can use any other type of ‘baking’ apple that will stay firm when baked such as Brauburn, Honey Crisp, or Jonagold. Just note that these apples are sweeter than the Granny Smith variety so your cake will be extra sweet.
Best Apple Cake You’ll Ever Make? YUP!
I’m going to let you in on one more little secret…this IS the exact same cake batter we use to make our Best Apple Cake Ever recipe – that SO MANY of our readers love and rave about! 😊
That earlier apple cake recipe got the name “Best Apple Cake Ever” from my sister-in-law Pam. But since we posted it here, several readers wrote to us to tell us that it was originally called an Apple Dapple Cake – and they are correct!
Today’s Apple Dapple Cake is baked in a 9×13-inch pan instead of a bundt pan – so it’s even easier to transport to your next party or potluck. And it’s just as delicious!
You may enjoy these other Apple recipes:
- Best Apple Cake Ever
- Apple Cider Poke Pound Cake
- Apple Kuchen Bars
- Cranberry Apple Clafoutis
- Apple Cider Doughnut Holes
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Apple Dapple Cake
Ingredients
Shortening and flour to prepare a 9X13 pan * see note
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 whole eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large Granny Smith apples (about 1 3/4 pound)
1 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
Glaze
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place rack in upper third of the oven.
Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl then sift a second time.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix vegetable oil with both sugars until well mixed.
With mixer running, add one egg at a time and once mixed, add vanilla and mix and scrape the bowl.
Slowly add the dry ingredients with mixer running on low. Scrape the bowl again and mix.
Peel, core and cut the apples into bite sized pieces and fold into the batter.
Fold the walnuts into the batter then spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake in top third of the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, put all glaze ingredients into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Boil and stir with a wooden spoon continuously for one minute.
Remove from heat and pour over the top of the warm cake.
Cool the cake or serve warm by cutting into 12 pieces (3 rows X 4 rows).
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Notes
*We have found that different colored pans cook differently as well as cooking in glass vs metal. So, the cooking time may vary slightly depending on what type of pan you use. We used a dark non-stick metal pan and ours took 50 minutes and was just starting to get dark on the sides.
Wonderful cake! My family loved it. Definitely will be making it again!
Thanks Barb – so glad your family enjoyed it!
I made this last night (along with my daughter and husband) and it was absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly except I forgot the baking soda :0 but still turned out fantastic and looked exactly like the picture posted. I will make again and again.
Off to find more wonderful recipes on your site. And thank you!
So glad you enjoyed the cake!
Martha,
Made this recipe this morning 😊! It turned out fantastic and delicious! Will definitely make again. Thank you for posting!❤️😋
You’re welcome Ray – glad you enjoyed the cake!
can you make this in a bundt pan?
Yes – it’s the same exact cake recipe as this one: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/best-apple-cake-ever/
This was delicious! I made it for my husband’s birthday because he does not like store bought cakes and loves apple desserts. It came out moist and perfect! And this is coming from someone who very rarely bakes. When I do bake, it’s usually from a box mix. That you for the easy to follow recipe. Also, I mixed everything by hand because I don’t have a mixer and used whole milk in the glaze because I didn’t have heavy cream. I will definitely make this again for the holidays! THANK YOU!
You’re welcome Jessica – so glad the recipe was a success!
Hi, This sounds delicious and perfect for the Fall! So I recently bought red gala apples before I discovered this amazing recipe. Can I use any apple or do you recommend Granny Smith?
Hi Joanna – Granny Smith are tart apples that stay firm during baking so that variety is good for baking and the tartness balances the sweetness of the cake. Galas are also good baking apples, but are a little sweeter – but I think you’d still be fine using them for this recipe.
This cake is AMAZING! Our family is gluten-free, so I simply substituted the flour for gfJules flour blend, and the results were fabulous. My entire family loved it! Super moist and tastes very autumnal.
Thanks Kristy – glad to know that gluten free flower works as well!
Just baked it todsy. Scrumptious!
Thanks Lori!
Can someone tell me if this can be made the day before and refrigerated until time to serve?
Sure Jaynee – You can do that. I’d suggest bringing it back to closer to room temperature before serving.
Could the oil be replaced with butter? I’m out of oil but have plenty of butter in my freezer. Thank you
Hi Vicky – In general, butter isn’t a substitute for oil in recipes like this because the butter is a solid, not a liquid in a cooled state, among other differences (butter has a % of water and milk solids, whereas oil is 100% fat). I think the finished cake would be very dense and heavy if you used butter.