German Apple Cake has chunks of fresh apple, lots of fall spices, crunchy pecans, and a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. This is one of the most delicious apple desserts you will ever taste so get ready for some fall baking!!
I know it’s not quite fall yet, but I’m ready for it to be here. This past week I helped both my kids get moved into their apartments for the school year. My daughter in Charleston and my son in Atlanta. And now I’m ready for the seasons to begin to change and the fall baking to commence.
Apples, along with sweet potatoes and pumpkin are what fall baking is all about for me. I’ve never been a huge apple pie fan but I love apples in other types of desserts like Caramel Apple Pound Cake, Crockpot Butterscotch Apple Crisp, and Frisky Apple Fritters.
This German Apple Cake is everything you could want in a fall apple dessert. The cake batter, with lots of chunks of apple, cooks up super moist with just the right amount of spice flavoring. But undoubtedly the best part is the icing!!
★★★★★
OMG 🥰 My Mom always baked with spices, so this was right up my alley 😉 I inhaled my first piece 👌My husband says 5 🤩
Watch the short video below to see how easy this cake is to make!
German Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups peeled and finely chopped tart apples, I use Granny Smith
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Frosting
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon half-and-half or milk
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract until completely combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir to combine.
- Fold in apples and pecans. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Let cool.
- Make frosting. Place cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer until smooth.
- Add vanilla extract, half-and-half, and confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth.
- Spread on top of cake. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home
More Apple Desserts
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
It was delicious!!!
OMG 🥰 My Mom always baked with spices, so this was right up my alley 😉 I inhaled my first piece 👌My husband says 5 🤩
Made this one time before but came across it again……. it’s worth the little bit of work you put in! It’s a keeper!
My favorite cake. Moist and the flavor is wonderful. Make this for birthdays.
This is absolutely delicious. It’s a little labour intensive cutting up those apples, but worth every bite. A definite winner!
Excellent recipe. Used slightly less cinnamon and nutmeg.
Will always use this recipe from now on. It was eaten before the icing was made.
Everyone loved it.
Easy and delicious!
I’m going to make this cake but would like to use a loaf pan. Would this make two loaf pans and If so how long would I bake them? 8×4 or 9×5
Outstanding! My whole family LOVED it — they ate the WHOLE THING!!!
One of the best cakes I ever made. I used King Arthur gf flour and the cake was amazing. I’ve made it twice.
Very easy & no fuss dessert!
Delicious! & the flavors are perfect for fall and sitting on the front porch with a cup of coffee.
Do you leave this cake in the pan & ice & serve from pan?
It looks delish~
Thx
Yes.
Wonderful recipe. I used honeycrisp apples instead of granny Smith. Everyone just fell in love with the cake.
This cake is delicious
Has anyone used frozen apple pieces for this ?
TIA
Sandy
Love it! I am thinking of making an icing to save some calories
Sounds yummy. Can you use less sugar?
What size pan?
Just made this recipe tonight. Cake turned out perfect and delicious.
This was cake was easy to make and delicious..my family all loved it.
Thank you!
This recipe is OUTSTANDING!! It’s super moist, great the first day but even better the next. So glad I found this. Thanks! It’s definitely in my go to recipe box for life!
Very good ! I did use only 1-1/2 cups of sugar per other comments and I also used Almond Extract in both the cake recipe and frosting recipe. I did not slice the apples but put them through my dicer and then chopped them up a little more AND I will admit I believe I overbaked the cake (55 mins), should have checked it at 59 mins and pulled it from the oven.
My previous comment… should have checked it at “50” mins and pulled it out.