Introduction

Hey there, friend! Get ready to bring the coziest vibes right into your kitchen. Does anything smell more like home, comfort, and fall than a warm apple cake baking in the oven? This Apple Dapple Cake recipe is one of those timeless treasures, maybe one your grandma used to whip up, filling the house with the most incredible aroma. It’s unbelievably moist, packed with tender apple chunks, and topped with the most luscious, buttery caramel-like glaze that literally dapples the cake with deliciousness. Trust me, this isn’t a fussy, complicated cake. It’s simple, straightforward, and delivers maximum comfort with minimal effort. Let’s bake some happiness, shall we?

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: From mixing bowl to oven isn’t a long journey with this cake!
Easy: No fancy techniques or special equipment needed. Just simple steps anyone can follow.
Giftable: Wrap up a slice (or a whole cake!) for a friend, neighbor, or loved one. It’s a gift straight from the heart.
Crowd-Pleasing: Seriously, who can resist a moist apple cake with a warm, buttery glaze? It disappears fast!

Ingredients

Gather your goodies! Here’s what you’ll need to make this magic happen:

3 cups all-purpose flour: Our foundation! Make sure it’s measured correctly – spooned into the cup and leveled.
1 teaspoon baking soda: This is our lift, helping the cake become beautifully airy.
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon: Essential for that warm, classic apple spice flavor.
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg: Cinnamon’s best friend, adding depth to the spice mix.
½ teaspoon salt: Just a pinch to balance all that sweetness and enhance the flavors.
1 ½ cups vegetable oil: The secret to an incredibly moist cake!
1 ½ cups granulated sugar: Sweetness and structure!
½ cup packed brown sugar: Adds moisture and a lovely hint of caramel flavor to the cake itself.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract: Always a must for enhancing all the other flavors.
3 large eggs: Our binders, bringing everything together.
4 cups apples, peeled and chopped into ½-inch chunks: The star of the show! Choose apples that hold their shape well when baked (like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or Granny Smith if you like a little tartness). ½-inch chunks are key for even distribution and tenderness.

For the Dapple Glaze:

⅓ cup butter: Brings richness and forms the base of our glaze.
⅓ cup packed brown sugar: Gives that classic caramel flavor and gorgeous color.
⅓ cup granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the glaze set slightly.
⅓ cup heavy cream: Makes the glaze smooth, pourable, and absolutely decadent.
½ teaspoon vanilla extract: A final flourish to the glaze flavor.

How to Make It

Alright, apron on? Let’s get baking!

First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan. This ensures your beautiful cake comes out cleanly!
In a large bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients for the cake: the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Give it a good mix to make sure everything is evenly distributed.
In a separate, even larger bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar until well combined.
Add the vanilla extract and eggs to the wet ingredients. Whisk until everything is smoothly incorporated.
Now, gradually add your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed or with a spoon until just combined. Don’t overmix! A few small lumps are totally fine.
Gently fold in the chopped apples. Make sure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Pour the batter into your prepared 9×13 inch pan and spread it out evenly.
Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The top should be golden brown and the edges should be pulling slightly away from the pan.
While the cake is baking (especially in the last 10-15 minutes) or just after it comes out, make the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Stir in the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring constantly, until the sugars are dissolved. This only takes a minute or two.
Carefully pour in the heavy cream (it might bubble up a bit!). Continue to stir and cook for another 1-2 minutes, just until the glaze is smooth and slightly thickened.
Remove the glaze from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Once the cake is out of the oven, immediately (or while still very warm!) pour the warm glaze evenly over the top. The glaze will seep into the cake, creating those signature “dapples.”
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. It’s best served warm, but it’s also fantastic at room temperature. Enjoy!

Substitutions & Additions

Want to get creative? Here are a few ideas:

Apples: You can use a single type of apple or a mix for more complex flavor. If you love a tart counterpoint to the sweet glaze, Granny Smith apples are a great choice, perhaps mixed with a sweeter apple like Fuji or Gala.
Spices: Feel free to add a pinch of ground ginger or allspice to the cake batter for extra warmth.
Nuts: Fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans with the apples for a little crunch.
Glaze Swap: While the dapple glaze is traditional and amazing, a simple powdered sugar glaze or a cream cheese frosting would also be delicious, though it wouldn’t create the same “dappled” effect.
Oil: While vegetable oil gives great moisture, you could try melted butter, but the texture might be slightly different (though still tasty!).

Tips for Success

A few little pointers to make sure your cake turns out perfect every time:

Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon your flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge. Scooping directly can compact the flour, leading to a dense cake.
Don’t Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix just until the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make your cake tough.
Chop Apples Evenly: Try to get your apple chunks roughly the same size (½ inch is perfect). This ensures they cook evenly and you get a nice bit of apple in every bite.
Glaze Timing: Pour the glaze over the cake while the cake is still warm. This allows the glaze to melt slightly and soak in, creating those wonderful dapples.
Prep Ahead: You can peel and chop your apples a few hours ahead of time and store them in a sealed container in the fridge. You can also whisk together your dry ingredients for the cake ahead of time.

How to Store It

If there’s any cake left (a big if!), here’s how to keep it fresh:

Store leftover Apple Dapple Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate it, which might extend its life by a couple more days, though the texture is best at room temp. You can also freeze slices (well-wrapped) for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

FAQs

Got questions? I’ve got (quick) answers!

Q: What’s the best kind of apple to use?
A: Use baking apples that hold their shape like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or Braeburn. A mix of sweet and tart (like adding some Granny Smith) is also great!

Q: Can I make the glaze ahead of time?
A: It’s best to make the glaze just before you need it and pour it warm over the warm cake for the best dapple effect.

Q: My glaze seems too thin/thick. Help!
A: If too thin, simmer it for another minute or two to reduce. If too thick, stir in a tiny splash of heavy cream or milk over low heat until it’s pourable.

Q: Can I use butter instead of oil in the cake?
A: Vegetable oil yields a particularly moist cake. While you could use melted butter, the texture might be slightly less moist and dense. I stick to the oil for this recipe!

The Easiest, Coziest Apple Dapple Cake Recipe You'll Ever Make

This Apple Dapple Cake recipe is a timeless treasure, delivering maximum comfort with minimal effort. It's unbelievably moist, packed with tender apple chunks, and topped with a luscious, buttery caramel-like glaze that literally dapples the cake with deliciousness.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 45

Equipment

9x13 inch baking pan
Large bowl
Separate larger bowl
Small saucepan
Whisk
Spoon
Wooden skewer or toothpick
Wire rack

Ingredients

Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour measured correctly – spooned into the cup and leveled
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
0.5 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups vegetable oil
1.5 cups granulated sugar
0.5 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs eggs
4 cups apples peeled and chopped into ½-inch chunks

Dapple Glaze

0.33 cup butter
0.33 cup packed brown sugar
0.33 cup granulated sugar
0.33 cup heavy cream
0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. This ensures your beautiful cake comes out cleanly!
In a large bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients for the cake: the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Give it a good mix to make sure everything is evenly distributed.
In a separate, even larger bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar until well combined.
Add the vanilla extract and eggs to the wet ingredients. Whisk until everything is smoothly incorporated.
Now, gradually add your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed or with a spoon until just combined. Don't overmix! A few small lumps are totally fine.
Gently fold in the chopped apples. Make sure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Pour the batter into your prepared 9x13 inch pan and spread it out evenly.
Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The top should be golden brown and the edges should be pulling slightly away from the pan.
While the cake is baking (especially in the last 10-15 minutes) or just after it comes out, make the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Stir in the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring constantly, until the sugars are dissolved. This only takes a minute or two.
Carefully pour in the heavy cream (it might bubble up a bit!). Continue to stir and cook for another 1-2 minutes, just until the glaze is smooth and slightly thickened.
Remove the glaze from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Once the cake is out of the oven, immediately (or while still very warm!) pour the warm glaze evenly over the top. The glaze will seep into the cake, creating those signature "dapples."
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. It's best served warm, but it's also fantastic at room temperature. Enjoy!

Notes

Substitutions & Additions: Use baking apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, Braeburn, or a mix with Granny Smith. Add a pinch of ground ginger or allspice for extra warmth. Fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans. Simple powdered sugar glaze or cream cheese frosting can be used instead of the dapple glaze. Melted butter can be used instead of vegetable oil, though the texture might differ.
Tips for Success: Measure flour correctly by spooning into the cup and leveling. Avoid overmixing the batter to prevent toughness. Chop apples into uniform ½-inch chunks for even cooking. Pour the warm glaze over the warm cake for the best dapple effect. Apples and dry ingredients can be prepped ahead.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Refrigerate for a couple more days if needed, though texture is best at room temp. Freeze slices well-wrapped for 2-3 months and thaw at room temperature.
FAQs: Best apples are those that hold shape (Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, Braeburn; mix with Granny Smith for tartness). Make glaze just before pouring. If glaze is too thin, simmer longer; if too thick, stir in a splash of cream/milk over low heat. Vegetable oil is recommended for moisture over melted butter.