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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.
Absolutely moist and delicious
Thank you Barb!
This is truly the best recipe ever. I’m making it again today.
Thanks Lauretta!
My kids and I made this and it was delicious. The green apples tasted great in this cake.
Glad you enjoyed the cake Viviana!
Good recipe and good directions. Making it now . Can’t wait to try with a good cup of coffee.
Hope you enjoy the cake Sandy!
Everyone loves this cake, even the picky ones!!
Thanks Rhonda!
Can I use can apple pie filling instead of fresh apples
No, not for this recipe. Sorry.
Is there different kind of nuts that I can use instead of walnuts and pecans? I don’t like either one of them.
Hi Sheron – We haven’t made this with other nuts, but I suppose any nut that you DO like will work – almonds, hazelnuts, etc. You might consider toasting them first.
So delicious and easy to make. Everyone loved it! Can I double the glaze?
Sure!
Exceptionally good apple cake. I did it with monkfruit as a sweetener and applesauce in place of oil to cut down on calories and sugar intake. I am going to make it into apple muffins today, but confess I am worried it won’t all fit in my two muffin pans. This cake is addictive and such a nice a change from anything I have tried.
Thanks Carla!
I have original from 1920 and there’s just a small missing step.
Great grandmother, grandmother, and mother made sense I was a child. I’m 62 now and still best apple cake from scratch I’ve had. Always got for B.D. as a child. But there’s a few others also. War Cake, Mayonnaise Cake, poor man’s cake, and the newer was pudding cake, I know I forgotten a couple.lol guess it’s my age✨
What’s step is missing Keven?