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!!
This is one of my favorite apple recipes along with Easy Apple Dumplings, Caramel Apple Quesadillas, and Apple Crisp Coffee Cake.
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. (Note: Originally published August 17, 2017.)
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!!
Measure The Flour Correctly
When baking a cake, it is so important to measure the flour correctly or you risk having a dry cake. To measure, first fluff the flour up some in the bag or container. Flour tends to get packed down over time. Then use a large spoon to gently scoop it into a dry measuring cup. Overfill it slightly and use the back of a knife to run across the top and get rid of the excess.
Recipe Tip
This recipe would be equally delicious with walnuts instead of pecans.
★★★★★
OMG 🥰 My Mom always baked with spices, so this was right up my alley 😉 I inhaled my first piece 👌My husband says 5 🤩
Type of Apples To Use
I recommend using a tart apple like Granny Smith for this recipe. The cake itself is very sweet and a tart apple will help cut the sweetness a little.
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More Fall Desserts
- Butternut Spice Cake with Bourbon Glaze
- Southern Sweet Potato Pie
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Praline Torte
- Pumpkin Cake Roll
German Apple Cake
Equipment
- Electric Hand Mixer
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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
Oh myyyyy…we made this for a birthday cake! The combination of the flavors and texture of the cake up next to freshly baked apple is not to be missed. We topped ours with butter rum cream cheese frosting, but this would be good naked. We renamed it Fritter cake, and its going to become a feature in our birthday traditions 🙂
Looks delicious
Can I make this cake in a bundt pan?
I’ve must have made this cake a dozen times by now. My daughter-in-law especially loves it. So good.
Excellent. Served it a legion dinner. They raved about it.
This cake was delicious and so moist,will make it again and again!
Do I need to adjust anything if I leave out the pecans?
no you do not need to add anything if leaving the pecans out. One final note, do not fold apples in till you are ready to put it in the oven. If you add the apples too soon, they release moisture, which changes the texture of the cake! Happy Baking!
If I were to add the apples in the batter too soon you say it will change the texture. I’m curious will it make the cake too wet?
This cake is delicious! I will reduce the sugar to 1.5 cups in the future but great recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Great recipe! It’s very similar to one my mother baked when I was growing up. I replaced two tablespoons of oil in the cake and the milk in the frosting with boiled cider because I was a bit short on apples and wanted to amplify the apple flavor. The pecans were perfect in it and add a nice added texture. Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely best cake ever. I changed a few things in frosting but other than that loved this recipe. Made twice in a week. Husband loved it🩷
So delicious and fall like🩷