This Cream Cheese Apple Cake is moist and delicious with a sweet and spicy apple pecan topping. One of the best apple cakes around!
This Cream Cheese Apple Cake is everything you could possibly want in an apple cake.
For starters, it’s super easy to make and tastes absolutely delicious. It’s a great way to bake with freshly-picked apples this time of year (or any time of year!). Plus – this cake is so good – you might want to make some room for it on the dessert buffet this upcoming holiday season.
The wonderful dense and creamy texture you’ll get in this Cream Cheese Apple Cake could be best described as ‘coffee cake meets cheesecake.’ You’ll enjoy tender chunks of apple in every bite – both in the cake as well as the nutty, sweet, cinnamon-infused topping.
This Cream Cheese Apple Cake is perfectly sweet and really – one of the best apple cakes I’ve tasted. (And that says a lot – considering we already have this Best Apple Cake Ever recipe on our site!)
You can use any variety of baking apple to make this easy apple cake. We used a mix of Granny Smith plus a Japanese baking apple variety called Mutsu. But any variety of apple that stays firm while baking will do.
We make this Cream Cheese Apple Cake in a ten-inch springform pan so we could easily serve this cake in wedges. If you don’t have a springform pan, you can also bake this cake in a 9×13” pan or dish.
You may like these other cream cheese recipes:
- Cream Cheese Crumb Bars
- Vanilla Cream Cheese Custard
- Cream Cheese Muffins
- Banana Chocolate Chip Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins
Cream Cheese Apple Cake
This Cream Cheese Apple Cake is moist and delicious with a sweet and spicy apple pecan topping. One of the best apple cakes around!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 slices 1x
- Category: desserts
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Butter and flour for 10” springform pan
3 cups baking apples, cut into 1/2-inch dice, divided* (See Notes below)
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 whole eggs
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and butter and flour a 10” springform pan with 3” sides.
- As you dice the apples, place in a medium bowl and squeeze lemon juice as you go, tossing to coat. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy then beat in the sugar and vanilla. Scrape and beat again.
- With mixer running, add one egg at a time and beat until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.
- With mixer running, slowly add the flour mixture. Scrape the sides and mix to a smooth batter.
- Fold in half of the diced apples and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Pour the remaining apples back onto your cutting board and chop very small (pea size) then place back into the bowl along with the brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped pecans.
- Mix to combine then sprinkle over the top of the batter.
- Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Ours took exactly 65 minutes.
Notes
Use any type of apple that stays firm when baked. We used a mix of Granny Smith and a Japanese variety called Mutsu.
can you make this receipe without nuts using oatmeal? Peanut allergy in family
Hi Evelyn – We’ve never tried it but I think swapping the oatmeal in for the nuts would work!
Hi I have a 9 inch pan how long will the baking time be?
Hi Barbara – Not sure – we’ve only made this in a 10″ pan…probably longer but without kitchen testing, I can’t say for sure.
Made this for the second time. This time I didn’t spread the topping to the side of the pan because the first time it burned on the sides. Cake is fabulous & freezes well. You won’t be disappointed. SO moist & yummy.
Thanks Diane!
What can be used as a topping as nut allergy in family but really want to make this?
Hi Dawn – You could just leave the nuts off, or you could mix the brown sugar and cinnamon with some flour, oatmeal, and a little butter to make a crumble topping. Hope that helps!
The best apple cake I have made! I used your best apple cake recipe before and I was in love with it but this cream cheese apple cake is even better with a simpler recipe. Thanks for sharing amazing recipes!
You’re welcome! So glad you are enjoying the recipes.
Huge hit! I can’t count how many different events I’ve made this for nice finding it! I used Gala apples every time. Very yummy.
Thanks Maureen – so glad you are enjoying the cake!
Easy to follow instructions. Wow! This cake is so delicious and moist. I did not have the springform pan so I divided the batter between two nine inch pans. Bake time was reduced to 35 minutes. The smell was incredible as it was baking and I could hardly wait to cut into it. Definitely not disappointed!
Thank you!
Excellent
Thank you!
Cake is super moist and tasty. Not a cheesecake but you can definitively take the cream cheese. I made a salted Carmel sauce to our on top when serving and it tastes awesome. My new favorite apple cake recipe! It was a hit too!!
So glad you enjoyed the cake Tanya!
Can the pecans be left out for those who can’t eat them?
Of course Shari! You’ll just have a plain sugar topping.