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This moist, delicious, and easy to make Apple Spice Cake is filled with a perfect blend of warm spices, fall flavors, chunks of fresh diced apples, and topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting.
For more ways to get that warm apple flavor try my Applesauce Bread or these popular One Bowl Applesauce Muffins.
Easy Apple Spice Cake Recipe (With A Cake Mix!)
This cake mix apple spice cake is the perfect cake to welcome the fall season with its cooler temperatures and beautiful colors. You’ll love the apple flavor bursting throughout this cake; from the chunks of fresh diced apples, warm apple pie spice, and the spice cake mix, this is a Fall cake that you don’t want to miss.
The best part is that it’s a simple recipe that starts with a box of spice cake mix! No need measuring out all the different dry ingredients, simply use a box of spice cake mix. Inside the cake batter are chunks of fresh apples that really bring out that apple flavor. The cake is finished off with a thick and creamy cream cheese frosting, chopped pecans, and a dash of ground cinnamon.
Simple Ingredients
Apple Cake Recipe Ingredients
- Box of Spice Cake Mix
- Water : I recommend using filtered water either from tap water or bottled water. Clean, crisp, filtered water will always make desserts taste the best. Especially when using a boxed cake mix that calls for water.
- Vegetable Oil
- Large Eggs
- Granny Smith Apples : Fresh chopped apples provide a tart crunch for this easy apple cake. I recommend using Granny Smith but honeycrisp apples are another great option as well. You just want to use tart apples.
- Apple Pie Spice
- Vanilla Extract
- Chopped Pecans : These are optional but they do provide a really great crunchy & salty texture to the fresh apple cake.
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- Cream Cheese
- Butter : I prefer using salted butter but unsalted butter can be used as well.
- Powdered Sugar : Also called confectioners’ sugar but most know it as powdered sugar.
- Vanilla Extract
- Milk : The higher fat percentage of the milk, the thicker and creamier the frosting will be. You will also need more milk if using a higher fat milk. Lower fat milks won’t require as much to achieve a thick but spreadable texture for the frosting.
- Chopped Pecans & Ground Cinnamon : Optional garnishes if wanted.
How To Make A Delicious Apple Spice Cake (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9×13-inch cake pan and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
Make The Apple Spice Cake : In a large bowl, add the spice cake mix, water, oil, and eggs. Use an electric hand mixer, or use the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, to beat at medium speed for 2 minutes or until well blended and combined.
Stir in the chopped Granny Smith apples, apple pie spice, vanilla extract, and chopped pecans (optional).
Pour the delicious apple cake batter into the prepared pan. Spread it out evenly using a spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow the cake to cool, inside the pan at room temperature, for about 10 minutes. Transfer the cake pan to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make The Cream Cheese Frosting : In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed until full incorporated. Add 1 tablespoon milk and the vanilla extract and continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy. If frosting is too thick, add more milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cake. If wanted, add some chopped pecans and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon over top the frosting.
How To Store Leftover Fresh Apple Spice Cake
Store the cake in the refrigerator, covered with a lid or plastic wrap, for up to 5 days. You can also remove individual slices and place them into an airtight container for storage in the fridge. For best results and texture of the cake, bring the cake to room temperature before serving. It can also be eaten chilled from the fridge.
Can I Make It Into A Layer Cake?
Yes! You will need three 9-inch round cake pans (or just two of them) if you’re wanting to make a layered cake. Fill each cake pan about halfway (or slightly less) with the cake batter. The cook time will be slightly different, according to the package directions, a 9-inch round cake pan needs around 18-22 minutes. If you want thinner layers, and more of them, then use three 9-inch round cake pans. For thicker layers, and less of them, use two 9-inch round cake pans instead.
Recipe Tips
- Drizzle some caramel sauce over each slice of apple spice cake for serving. You can also add a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, chopped pecans or walnuts, or chunks of fresh apples for serving. For a decadent dessert, try topping each serving with some apple pie filling.
- Make sure the chunks of apple are diced really small so they will soften and become tender during the bake time. Large chunks of apple will stay crisp and won’t have that softer texture we’re looking for in this cake. You can peel the skin off of the apple or leave it on, either way works fine, it’s just whatever you prefer.
- My family loves this apple spice cake served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.
- Allow the cake to cool completely, at room temperature, before frosting it. The frosting will slide right off of a warm cake, so you want the cake to be room temperate. Once frosted, the cake can be covered and stored in the fridge before serving. The cake is yummy served at room temperature right after frosting, or serve the cake chilled.
More Apple Desserts To Try
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Apple Spice Dump Cake
- Simple Apple Crisp
- Crockpot Apple Crisp
- Apple Cider Muffins
- Snickerdoodle Apple Cobbler
- Apple Cider Pudding Cake
- No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake
- Oatmeal Cookie Apple Crumble
Apple Spice Cake
Ingredients
Apple Spice Cake
- 1 box (13.25 oz) spice cake mix
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and finely chopped)
- 2 teaspoons apple pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional garnish)
- dash of ground cinnamon (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Prepare a 9×13-inch cake pan and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
Make The Apple Spice Cake
- In a large bowl, add the spice cake mix, water, oil, and eggs. Use an electric hand mixer, or use the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, to beat at medium speed for 2 minutes or until well blended and combined.1 box (13.25 oz) spice cake mix, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs
- Stir in the chopped Granny Smith apples, apple pie spice, vanilla extract, and chopped pecans (optional).2 Granny Smith apples, 2 teaspoons apple pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- Pour the apple cake batter into the prepared pan. Spread it out evenly using a spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow the cake to cool, inside the pan at room temperature, for about 10 minutes. Transfer the cake pan to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make The Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream and butter until smooth and creamy.1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese, 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, 4 cups powdered sugar
- Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed until fully incorporated.
- Add 1 tablespoon milk and the vanilla extract and continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy. If frosting is too thick, add more milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.* The higher fat percentage of milk you use, the more you will need of it. The lower fat percentage of milk, you will need less of it in order to achieve a thick but spreadable consistency.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1-2 tablespoons milk
- Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cake. If wanted, add some chopped pecans and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon over top the frosting.1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, dash of ground cinnamon
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love to see it! You can share it with me on @togetherasfamilyblog and follow on Pinterest @together-as-family-blog-recipes or Facebook @togetherasfamilyblog for more!
I’m going to try this but will make a spice cake from scratch and add apples and apple pie spice to it then bake it
Yum! A from scratch spice cake sounds amazing.
Can this cake be made in a bundt pan and drizzle frosting over top ????
Yes it totally can! I will go back and put that note in the recipe. Follow the directions on the back of the cake mix box for a bundt pan. I’ve never made this specific recipe in a bundt pan so just double check that it’s not over filled when you pour in the batter. I would recommend using a larger 10″ or bigger bundt pan. Hopefully that helps 🙂
can apple cider be used instead of water ?
Yes, that would be a great substitution for the water!