This Easy Apple Cider Cake is the perfect fall dessert -dense, moist, and packed with rich apple and spice flavors. If you are looking for an easy recipe for a fall dessert with apples, you should definitely try this simple cake baked in a 9×9-inch pan and drizzled with a sweet apple cider and cream icing. You can make it for a cozy weekend treat, family gathering, or holiday table.
I made this cake using my Homemade Apple Cider, and it really enhances the flavor. If you’ve never baked with apple cider before, you are missing a lot. Apple cider makes this cake taste like fall in every single bite.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Apple Cider Cake Recipe
- Easy recipe-bakers of any skill level can manage this recipe.
- No fancy equipment-just a 9×9-inch pan.
- Full of apple flavor-cider adds natural sweetness and depth.
- Perfect for fall-cozy, spiced, and comforting.
- Make ahead-better the next day, because the flavors deepen as the cake rests.
Ingredients for Easy Apple Cider Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- Butter
- Granulated sugar for the cake and powdered sugar for icing
- Eggs
- Cinnamon
- Apple cider (I used homemade!)
- Apples (Granny Smith works the best for this recipe)
How to Make Easy Apple Cider Cake
- Peel, core, and slice the apples, and place them in lemon water to prevent browning.
- Reduce apple cider by simmering in a pot until it evaporates to ¼ cup.
- Preheat oven to 350°F, and grease a 9×9-inch pan.
- Sift together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar, then add eggs, one at a time.
- Combine reduced apple cider with heavy whipping cream in a separate dish.
- While mixing on low, alternately add cider/cream and flour mixture, and continue mixing until smooth.
- Spread the cake mixture into prepared pan and arrange the apples on top.
- Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.
- Bake 40–50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Combine powdered sugar with reduced apple cider and heavy cream or milk. Drizzle over slightly cooled cake.
- Enjoy warm, or at room temperature.
Tips for Perfect Apple Cake
- For this recipe, Granny Smith apples work the best.
- Don’t skip reducing the apple cider before adding it for a stronger flavor.
- When preparing the pan, I like to line it with parchment paper, leaving a large overhang on the sides. That way, you can lift the whole cake from the pan to cool on a rack more quickly, and it’s easier to slice and serve.
- I like to slice the cake first, then drizzle the glaze over each portion, letting it run down the sides when serving.
- If you serve the cake warm, you can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
- Store the cake at room temperature for a day, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- The cake is even better the next day, because flavors deepen as the cake rests.
This Easy Apple Cider Cake is the ultimate cozy fall dessert. Simple to make, bursting with apple flavor, it’s sure to become a seasonal favorite in your kitchen.
Don’t forget to check out my recipe for Homemade Apple Cider, it takes this cake to the next level!
More Recipes for Fall Dessert with Apples:
Apple Coffee Cake With Cream Cheese Filling
Apple Crisp Cheesecake Muffins
PrintEasy Apple Cider Cake Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 9–12 1x
Category: Desserts
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
This Easy Apple Cider Cake is the perfect fall dessert -dense, moist, and packed with rich apple and spice flavors. If you are looking for an easy recipe for a fall dessert with apples, you should definitely try this simple cake baked in a 9×9-inch pan and drizzled with a sweet apple cider and cream icing.
Ingredients
For Apple Cider Cake:
- 1 cup apple cider (not apple cider vinegar!!!)
- 3 large (or 4 small) Granny Smith apples
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter-softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
For Apple Cider Glaze:
- 1 cup apple cider (reduced to 2 Tablespoons)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
Instructions
- First, reduce the apple cider. Place 1 cup of apple cider in a pot and simmer until it reduces to ¼ cup, then set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the bowl with water and add the juice from one lemon. Peel and core the apples, and cut in 1/3 inch thick slices. Keep the apple slices in lemon water to prevent browning.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×9-inch pan. I like to line it with parchment paper, leaving a large overhang on the sides. That way, you can lift the whole cake from the pan to cool on a rack more quickly, and it’s easier to slice and serve when you remove it from the pan.
- Sift together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.
- Cream butter for a minute, then add sugar, and cream together to combine.
- Add eggs, one at a time.
- In a separate bowl, stir together reduced apple cider and heavy cream. Then add ½ of the cider-cream mixture to the cake mixture, followed by half of the flour mixture. Mix to combine, then add the remaining cider-cream and flour mixture and mix to combine evenly.
- Spread the mixture in the prepared pan.
- Stick apple slices on top. Stick each apple slice with the outer edges up.
- Mix cinnamon with 3 Tablespoons of sugar and sprinkle on top.
- Bake 40–50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Apple Cider Glaze:
- While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze.
- Reduce 1 cup of apple cider to 2 Tablespoons. Simmer in a pot, stirring occasionally.
- Combine reduced apple cider with 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream and add powdered sugar. Whisk and continue adding a teaspoon of cream at a time until you reach the desired consistency. It should be pourable but not too thin. Drizzle over cooled cake. (I like to slice the cake first, then drizzle the glaze over each slice, letting it run down the sides when serving.)