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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.
Mary says
Made this for fall dinner group and there were only crumbs left! Pretty labor intensive but worth it. Delicious!
Jack says
Thank you Mary. Good things come from effort.
Jack
Laura says
I made this for church and it was gone almost instantly! I, myself thought it was a touch sweet but it is delish
Martha says
Glad to hear that the cake was a hit Laura!
Dianne says
Wonderful cake. However the icing is to be put on when warm, therefore, it soaks into cake and doesn’t look like the picture with caramel colored icing on top of cake
Martha says
Hi Dianne – We write our recipes exactly as we make and photograph it. As noted in the recipe, we started making the glaze once the cake came out of the oven, so the cake does cool slightly while that is prepared. For us, it didn’t fully absorb into the cake as shown.
Melissa Hernandez says
Must make this ,sounds delicious 😋.
Martha says
Hope you love the cake Melissa!
C. D. says
Both times my cake fell in the middle not done I tested with a toothpick came out clean idk what’s wrong
Martha says
Hi C.D. – Anytime a cake or quick bread falls in the middle, it usually isn’t fully cooked in the middle. I’d try baking it for a little longer if you decide to try the recipe again. While the toothpick test is usually the best method to test for doneness, you could also try pressing gently on the top of the cake to test – if it stays indented its still uncooked in the middle but if it feels firm and springy, it should be done.
doris says
made this cake and it had so much grease on when ya took it out of pan. will try another recipe to see if it happens again. had good flavor but couldnt save any of left over pieces.
Martha says
Sorry you were disappointed Doris.
Marybeth says
S O. E A S Y !!!
Martha says
Thanks Marybeth!
doris says
can you leave out the nuts cuz some people don’t like them in their stuff and I one of them
Martha says
Sure Doris – you can leave them out.
Kathryn says
Could this cake be made ahead and frozen? If so, would you save the glazing stage for just before serving?
Martha says
Yes – it should freeze well and I’d suggest glazing it (or add more glaze) once it is thawed.
Bernice says
The cake was delicious but the frosting did not resemble yours at all. I think you need to double that part of the recipe. It hardly covered the cake. Next time I would double the ingredients for frosting.
Martha says
Thanks for your feedback Bernice – we share the recipe exactly as we make and photograph our recipes. You can double it if you’d like, or maybe drizzle less generously to start, then add more over the top.