Apple dapple cake has been sitting in my recipe box for like three years, and I only just made it for the first time last month because my mother-in-law wouldn’t stop talking about it.
“You HAVE to make apple dapple cake,” she kept saying. “It’s the best fall cake. You’ll love it. Everyone loves it.”
And I kept putting it off because honestly? The name sounds kinda weird. Apple dapple? What even is that? Sounds like something you’d call a horse. But then I ran out of excuses when she literally showed up at my house with a bag of apples from her tree and said “No more excuses. Make the cake.”
So I made it.
And now I get it. Now I understand why she’s been bugging me about this old fashioned apple cake for three years straight.
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What Makes This Moist Apple Cake Recipe Special
Here’s the thing about apple dapple cake—it’s not your typical apple cake. It’s PACKED with apples. Like, so many apples that you’re wondering if there’s even enough batter to hold them all together. And then you add pecans on top of that, and the whole thing seems like it shouldn’t work, but somehow it does.
The real magic happens with the brown sugar glaze that you pour over the cake while it’s still hot. The glaze soaks into all those craggy crevices on top (the cake looks kinda lumpy and weird when it comes out of the oven, but that’s normal), and it makes the whole thing incredibly moist and sweet and just… perfect.
I think this recipe came from my mother-in-law’s mom? Or maybe her aunt? She’s told me the story like four times but I can never remember. All I know is it’s one of those vintage recipes that’s been around forever, and different families all claim it as their own—Southern families, Amish communities, even some Jewish bakers make versions of it.
Ingredients for the Best Apple Dapple Cake
For the Cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1½ cups vegetable oil (I use canola because that’s what I buy)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups peeled and chopped apples (I usually need about 4-5 medium apples)
- 1 cup chopped pecans (toasted if you’re feeling fancy)
For the Brown Sugar Glaze:
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
Apple tip: Use tart apples like Granny Smith or a mix of tart and sweet. I’ve tried this with all sweet apples and it was just… too much. The tartness balances the sweetness of the glaze. Also, don’t use those pre-bagged apple slices. Just don’t. They’re weird and dry.
About the pecans: Toast them first if you can. Just throw them in a dry pan over medium heat for like 5 minutes until they smell amazing. It makes such a difference. (But if you forget, it’s still good. I’ve forgotten multiple times.)
Making This Easy Apple Dapple Cake
Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Oven
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Yes, 325, not 350. Lower and slower for this one.
Grease a bundt pan really well. Like, REALLY well. Use butter, shortening, or that baking spray with flour in it. I learned this the hard way when my first apple dapple cake got stuck in the pan and I had to basically chisel it out in chunks. My family still ate it, but it wasn’t pretty.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Stuff
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set it aside.
That’s it. Easy.
Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl—and I mean large, because this batter gets bulky—beat together the oil and sugar. You can do this by hand with a wooden spoon or use an electric mixer. I usually just use a spoon because I’m lazy and don’t want to wash the mixer.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Then stir in the vanilla.
Step 4: Combine Everything
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Don’t overmix or your cake will be tough. Mix until you can’t see any more dry flour streaks and then STOP.
Now fold in the chopped apples and pecans. The batter is gonna be really thick at this point. Like, you’ll be thinking “this can’t be right, there’s barely any batter compared to all these apples.” But that IS right. That’s how it’s supposed to be. Just trust it.
Step 5: Bake This Fresh Apple Cake
Pour the batter into your prepared bundt pan. Use a spatula to spread it evenly and smooth the top as much as you can (it won’t be perfectly smooth because of all the apple chunks, and that’s fine).
Bake for 60-70 minutes. Start checking it at 60 minutes by sticking a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, it’s done. If it comes out with wet batter, give it another 10 minutes.
My oven runs hot, so mine’s usually done at 60 minutes. Yours might take the full 70. Just keep an eye on it.
Step 6: The Brown Sugar Glaze (Don’t Skip This!)
About 10 minutes before your cake is done, make the glaze. This is important—you want to pour the glaze over the cake while the cake is still hot, so timing matters here.
In a small saucepan, combine the butter, milk, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a gentle boil. Let it boil for about 3 minutes, stirring the whole time. Remove from heat.
When your cake comes out of the oven, let it cool in the pan for just 5 minutes. Then—and this is key—poke holes all over the top of the cake with a skewer or chopstick. Not huge holes, just little pokes.
Pour the warm glaze slowly over the hot cake. It’ll look like too much liquid. It’ll pool on top. Don’t panic. It will soak in. Just be patient.
Let the cake cool COMPLETELY in the pan before you try to turn it out. I usually leave mine for at least 2 hours, sometimes overnight.
Step 7: Turn It Out and Serve
Once it’s completely cool, run a knife around the edges of the pan. Put a plate or serving platter on top of the bundt pan, then flip the whole thing over. Give it a little shake if needed. The cake should release easily if you greased the pan well.
If it doesn’t release… well, you might have to serve it in chunks like I did that first time. Still delicious, just not as pretty.
Tips for the Best Homemade Apple Cake
Don’t skimp on greasing the pan. I’ve said this twice already but I’m saying it again. Bundt pans are notorious for cakes getting stuck.
Use a mix of apple varieties if you can. I like using 2 Granny Smith and 2 Honeycrisp. Gives you that perfect balance of tart and sweet.
The glaze should go on while everything is hot. Hot cake, warm glaze. That’s when the magic happens and it soaks in properly.
This cake gets better the next day. The flavors meld together and it gets even more moist. I actually prefer eating it on day two.
Toast those pecans. I keep saying this because it really does make a difference. Plus it makes your kitchen smell amazing.
Why This Vintage Apple Cake Is Worth Making
This apple cake with caramel glaze isn’t fancy. It’s not something you’d see in a bakery window. But it’s the kind of cake that makes people ask for the recipe. It’s the kind of cake you bring to a potluck and the pan comes home empty. It’s the kind of cake my mother-in-law has been making for decades and will probably make for decades more.
The texture is amazing—super moist but not gummy, with tender chunks of apple in every bite and that sweet, buttery glaze that soaks into every nook and cranny. It tastes like fall. Like apple picking and sweater weather and everything cozy.
My kids fight over who gets the biggest slice. My husband eats it for breakfast (I pretend to disapprove but I’ve totally done the same thing). And my mother-in-law? She just smiles and says “I told you so.”
Make this southern apple cake this weekend. Serve it slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you’re feeling extra. Or just eat it straight from the pan standing at the counter at midnight. No judgment here.
And hey, if you try this, let me know how it turns out! I’m always curious to hear if other people’s families have their own versions or if they add anything different. My neighbor swears by adding raisins, but I haven’t tried that yet.
Happy baking! 🍎
