Apple Pie Cake

If you’re looking to impress your family this holiday season, this amazing 3-layer Apple Pie Cake will sure do the trick! A delicious apple pie filling is sandwiched between soft layers of vanilla bean cake, all covered in a light layer of rich and tangy cinnamon cream cheese frosting. This post was sponsored by Silver Spring®.

It turns out you can have your pie and eat your cake too! This apple pie cake recipe is made with the softest, most velvety vanilla cake with apple pie filling. I’ve saved you the trouble of choosing this holiday season, just make this cake if you can’t decide between apple pie or apple cake.

Full disclosure: This apple pie cake has gotten rave reviews from my husband’s coworkers, so it is not just me saying it’s good because I made it. Real people loved it!!!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• It’s a 2fer! Like I said, you get both pie and cake with this apple pie cake recipe. No more sleepless nights trying to decide what to make 😉
• Super soft cake – The vanilla bean cake has super soft crumbs, dense but so velvety.
• Amazing flavors – The cake has tons of vanilla beans, the apple pie filling is cooked in brown butter and flavored with homemade apple pie spice, and the cream cheese frosting has a hint of warm cinnamon. Together, this cake is just perfect for Fall.
• Party worthy – This cake is as beautiful as it is delicious. It will sure be a conversation starter for all your holiday parties this season.

Tools you’ll need

• A stand mixer or an electric hand mixer to mix the cake batter and make the frosting. I don’t really recommend making anything by hand because this apple pie cake has a high volume of cake batter as well as frosting. It would be very labor intensive even though not impossible.
• Three 8 inch or 9 inch cake pans to bake the vanilla cake layers.
• An offset spatula, a pastry bag with piping tips for frosting the cake.

Ingredients and substitutions

As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:

For the vanilla cake

1. Flour – I use all-purpose flour for this cake. You can substitute cake flour if you’d like for even softer crumbs. If you need to make a gluten free version, try an all-purpose gluten free flour, I recommend King Arthur Flour or Bob’s Red Mill brands.
2. Baking powder – Just baking powder is used in this recipe to help the cake rise. No baking soda is used since we are not using any acidic ingredients in the cake batter.
3. Salt – As always, kosher salt is added to balance out the flavor and add complexity to the cake. If you’re using table salt, reduce the amount by about half.
4. Eggs – Six whole eggs are used in this cake batter, it is a lot of cake so we need a lot of eggs to create structure and bind everything together. Eggs also add richness to the cake.
5. Granulated sugar – I use just granulated sugar in this recipe. You can substitute brown sugar if you want to impart a little additional molasses flavor to the vanilla cake. I think it could be really nice. 
6. Vanilla – I use vanilla bean paste in this recipe instead of vanilla extract to get the beautiful vanilla bean flecks in the cake. It is a more affordable alternative compared to whole vanilla beans. For substitution: 1 tbsp of vanilla bean paste = 1 whole vanilla bean = 1 tbsp of pure vanilla extract.
7. Milk – I use whole milk here, reduced fat milk will work too.
8. Butter – I use unsalted butter for the cake to add that delicious buttery flavor and richness. You can substitute salted butter but you will need to reduce the salt called for by about ¼ teaspoon.
9. Oil – While butter is used for flavor, oil is added to keep the cake ultra moist. To keep the flavor neutral, I recommend a flavorless oil like vegetable or canola oil.

For the apple pie filling

10. Apple – Feel free to use your favorite apples for the apple pie filling. Or you can use a mix of sweet and tart.
11. Apple cider – A tablespoon of apple cider is tossed with the apple pie filling. The acidity in the apple cider will prevent the apples from going brown. You can substitute lemon juice. Another tablespoon is used for the cornstarch slurry but you can use water for this if you don’t have apple cider.
12. Brown sugar – I like using brown sugar in the apple pie filling for its rich almost buttery flavor. You can substitute granulated sugar in a pinch.
13. Apple pie spice – is a must for apple pie filling. Feel free to use store bought or homemade. 
14. Salt – Again, just a little bit of salt brings out the flavor and adds complexity to the filling.
15. Butter – Unsalted butter adds richness to the filling, you’ll also brown it for even more flavor. Since this is such a small amount, you can substitute salted butter and omit the pinch of salt called for separately, if needed.
16. Cornstarch – Used to thicken the apple pie filling. Tapioca starch or flour will also work but I like cornstarch because you don’t have to use as much to get the same thickening power as tapioca or flour.

For the cinnamon cream cheese frosting

17. Cream cheese – Use full fat brick cream cheese for the frosting. Don’t substitute light or whipped cream cheese.
18. Butter – Use unsalted butter only, don’t substitute salted butter or it will make your frosting super salty since my recipe doesn’t call for a lot of sugar.
19. Vanilla – You can use vanilla extract here, it will round out the flavor of the frosting, add warmth and depth to it. Don’t skip this or your frosting will taste flat.
20. Powdered sugar – Also called confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar. I don’t recommend substituting with different types of sugar or even making your own powdered sugar at home because I don’t think you’ll be able to get as fine a texture as store bought powdered sugar. 
21. Cinnamon – Adds warmth and Fall flavor to the frosting, complementing the flavor of this apple pie cake. You can certainly substitute apple pie spice if you want.

How to make apple pie cake

The following instructions, step-by-step photos, and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Make the vanilla bean cake

This massive 3-layer vanilla cake is scaled up from my beloved mini vanilla birthday cake. It is a hot milk cake, which yields a very fine, soft, dense but moist crumb cake. 

Add egg, sugar and vanilla bean paste to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light in color and creamy.

In a separate mixing bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Add the kosher salt, and mix with a whisk to distribute evenly. Add this to the liquid mixture. Stir until just combined. The batter will be thick and creamy.

Heat the milk in the microwave, dissolve butter in the hot milk and add the oil. Add this warm milk mixture to the batter while stirring. Use a spatula to scrape the side and bottom of the bowl to ensure thorough mixing. The cake batter will be thin and runny. This is normal.

Divide cake batter evenly between 3 buttered and lined cake pans, about 580 g of batter per pan. Bake until golden.

Tip: It is ideal if you have a kitchen scale to divide the cake batter evenly among 3 pans. This will help the cake layers bake evenly and finish at around the same time. Eyeballing the cake batter is fine too but you’ll also need to watch the oven more closely to make sure you don’t overbake or underbake.

Make the apple pie filling

I used a similar apple pie filling for a couple of my other recipes like these apple hand pies and apple pie bars. It’s a quick pie filling that can be precooked in just under 10 minutes.

Brown the butter slightly in a saucepan. Mix together the diced apples, apple cider, sugar, salt, apple pie spice in a mixing bowl and add the mixture to the brown butter. Cook until the sugar dissolves and the apples are just starting to soften.

Tip: If you don’t have apple cider, you can use lemon juice.

Pour a cornstarch slurry made of cornstarch and apple cider into the saucepan, stir until the pie filling thickens.

Tip: You can make cornstarch slurry using either apple cider or water, depending on what you have. But don’t use additional lemon juice here, it may make the filling too tart.

Make the cinnamon cream cheese frosting

Update note: In my original recipe, I used just a couple teaspoons of horseradish in the cinnamon cream cheese frosting for a little bit of zing but I’ve omitted it in this update for convenience since I don’t expect everyone to have it on hand all the time. It doesn’t take away from the flavor of the cake.

Beat together softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until combined and creamy.

Add powdered sugar and cinnamon, stir to mix, then slowly increase mixer speed to medium and beat just until all the sugar is incorporated and the frosting is creamy and fluffy.

Tip: This frosting recipe will yield just over 4 cups, enough for a naked cake style. If you want thicker frosting, I suggest increasing the frosting ingredients by 1.5 times.

Assemble the apple pie cake

Spread a layer of frosting on top of the first cake layer, pipe a frosting border around the edge. Layer half of the apple pie filling within the piped frosting border. Repeat for the second layer. Place the third layer of cake on top and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting.

Tip: Make sure your cake layers and apple pie filling are completely cooled before you assemble the cake so the frosting doesn’t slide off it.

Decorate with sliced apples and cookie crumbs if desired.

More baker’s tips

• Note on the butter – I developed the recipe such that you’ll use 1 whole stick of butter in the cake, but divided in the cake batter and the apple pie filling. My preference is always unsalted butter for baking, but if you choose to use salted butter, you’ll be able to use 1 stick of salted butter divided in the cake and the pie filling so you don’t have odds and ends leftover. However, make sure you don’t use salted butter for the frosting.
• Rotate your cake pans halfway or ⅔ way through baking to ensure all your cakes bake evenly. My oven heats unevenly, so the cake in the back of the oven was done about 2 minutes before the rest.
• Baking temperature – Make sure to note the oven temperature for this recipe, it’s 325 degrees F instead of the typical 350.

Storage

Apple cake with pie filling can be kept at room temperature for a few hours while you’re serving it but leftovers should be refrigerated due to the cream cheese frosting. It will last up to a week in the fridge and will stay soft and moist.

I haven’t tried freezing this cake but have frozen other cakes such as this Lemon Blueberry Cake with a lemon curd filling and this Hummingbird Cake with a classic cream cheese frosting successfully. I think you should be able to freeze this cake fine.

I recommend freezing individual slices of this apple pie cake, so it is easier to thaw and serve. Just wrap each slice well in plastic and store in a freeze bag up to 3 months.

FAQs

More amazing cake recipes

• Pear Almond Cake
• Gingerbread Bundt Cake
• Carrot Cake
• Chocolate Cake
• Red Velvet Cake

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📖 Recipe card

Apple Pie Cake

If you’re looking to impress your family this holiday season, this amazing 3-layer Apple Pie Cake will sure do the trick! A delicious apple pie filling is sandwiched between soft layers of vanilla bean cake, all covered in a cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 50 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Yield: 16 slices

Author: Trang

Equipment

• Stand Mixer
• 8" Cake Pan
• Pastry Bag
• Pastry Tip Size 807
• Small Offset Spatula

Ingredients

Vanilla cake (3 layers)

• ▢ 3 cup all-purpose flour (400 g)
• ▢ 3 teaspoon baking powder (12 g)
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 6 large eggs
• ▢ 2 ¼ cup granulated sugar (431 g)
• ▢ 3 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (notes)
• ▢ 1 ½ cup whole milk (360 g)
• ▢ 6 tablespoon unsalted butter (3 oz, 84 g)
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable oil (104 g)

Apple pie filling

• ▢ 4 medium apples (517 g peeled & diced)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon apple cider (or lemon juice)
• ▢ ½ cup brown sugar (100 g, lightly packed)
• ▢ 2 teaspoon apple pie spice
• ▢ A pinch of kosher salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoon unsalted butter (1 oz, 28 g)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢ 1 tablespoon water (or apple cider)

Frosting (makes > 4 cups)

• ▢ 16 oz cream cheese (room temperature, 453 g)
• ▢ 8 oz unsalted butter (room temperature, 227 g)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 ⅔ cup powdered sugar (181 g)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Make the cake

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Butter three 8” or 9” cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a piece of round parchment paper cut to fit.
• In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Add the kosher salt, and mix with a whisk to distribute evenly. Set aside.
• Add egg, sugar and vanilla bean paste to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
• Microwave the milk in a large heatproof measuring cup or bowl for 1 minute and 50 seconds, add butter to the hot milk and stir to melt completely. Then add the oil to the hot milk and stir. Add the hot milk mixture to the stand mixer bowl while stirring to combine. Scrape the bowl with a spatula to ensure thorough mixing.
• Divide cake batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans, about 580 g of batter per pan.
• Bake in the middle oven rack for 35 – 38 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool to the touch. Run a butter knife along the edge to loosen the cakes if necessary and remove them from the pan. Peel off parchment paper at the bottom and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the apple pie filling

• Toss the diced apple, apple cider, brown sugar, apple pie spice and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
• Brown the butter in a medium size saucepan over medium heat, about 1.5 – 2 minutes, immediately add the apple mixture to the saucepan. Cook until the sugar dissolves completely and the apple pieces are just starting to soften, about 4 minutes.
• Mix the cornstarch with cold water, and add this cornstarch slurry into the saucepan, stir until the pie filling thickens, about 1 minutes. Take off the heat and set aside to cool completely.

Make the frosting

• Add softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract to a stand mixer bowl and beat on medium speed with the whisk attachment just until creamy.
• Add powdered sugar and cinnamon, stir to mix, then slowly increase mixer speed to medium and beat just until all the sugar is incorporated and the frosting is creamy and fluffy.
• Refrigerate about 15 minutes before assembling the cake to allow the frosting to firm up if necessary.

Assemble the cake

• Add 1 cup of frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (size 807) and set aside.
• Line a cake stand or plate with a few strips of parchment paper and place 1 layer of cake on top.
• Add ¾ cup of frosting on top of the cake and spread it out evenly with a spatula. Pipe a border around the edge of the cake layer using the previously prepared frosting in a pastry bag. Add half the apple pie filling within the frosting border and place the second layer of cake on top. Repeat this step for the second layer.
• Add ½ cup of frosting on top of the third layer of cake and use the remaining frosting to frost the side of the cake.
• Decorate the cake with apple slices and cookie crumbs if desired. Refrigerate for 2 hours to let the frosting set before serving.

Notes

• Rotate cake pans about halfway to ⅔ way through baking.
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste is equivalent to 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract or 1 whole vanilla bean.

Nutrition

Serving: 220g | Calories: 645kcal

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

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