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This old fashioned apple cake recipe is made with real apples and buttermilk for a delicious, moist buttery flavor. The sweet apple cider butter glaze is poured over the top, making it super moist and irresistible!
For more apple recipes, try my homemade apple pie, caramel apple crumble bars, and easy apple crisp.
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“This is the moistest cake I ever had. It is delicious. It helps a lot if you have an apple peeler-slicer-corer device to speed up the dicing of the apples. Also, the cake is hard to toothpick test—cook until the center reaches 210 degrees.”— Dave
Why You’ll Love This Old Fashioned Apple Cake
I love the nostalgic flavors of old-fashioned desserts, much like my old-fashioned coconut cake, this apple cake is one I turn to when I’m craving something classic and comforting. Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Tried and true: This is a classic apple cake recipe that’s been loved for generations.
- Simple to make: No complicated steps—just mix, bake, and enjoy.
- Versatile for any occasion: Serve it for a Halloween party, a fall harvest gathering, Thanksgiving dessert, or as an afternoon snack with coffee.
- Easy to customize: Enjoy it plain, with a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Fresh Apple Cake Ingredients
Granulated Sugar – Sugar sweetens the cake and helps create a tender crumb. Be sure to use regular granulated sugar, not powdered sugar.
All-Purpose Flour – Flour provides structure to the cake. For best results, spoon and level your flour rather than scooping directly from the bag.
Baking Soda – Acts as a leavening agent to help the cake rise properly.
Ground Cinnamon & Cardamom – Both adds warmth and that classic fall spice flavor that pairs perfectly with apples.
Eggs – Provide structure, moisture, and help bind the ingredients together. Use room temperature eggs for best results.
Vegetable Oil – Creates a super moist cake. Unlike butter, oil stays liquid at room temperature, keeping your cake moist for days.
Buttermilk – Adds moisture and a slight tanginess that balances the sweetness. The acidity also helps activate the baking soda.
Vanilla Extract – Enhances all the flavors in the cake. Use pure vanilla extract when possible for the best flavor.
Apples – The star ingredient! Use a mix of sweet and tart apples like Honeycrisp and Granny Smith for the best flavor. Make sure to peel and chop them into small pieces for even baking.
Apple Cider – Used in the glaze to add rich apple flavor. Use fresh apple cider when possible, not apple juice.
Unsalted Butter – Creates a rich, buttery glaze that seeps into the cake.
How To Make Old Fashioned Fresh Apple Cake
Prep Baking Pan – Preheat oven to 350°F and grease and flour a 9×12 cake pan or bundt pan.
Combine Dry Ingredients – Mix sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom in a large bowl.
Prepare Wet Ingredients – Whisk together eggs, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and buttermilk in a large measuring glass.
Mix Batter – Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
Add Apples – Fold in the peeled and finely chopped apples until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Bake Cake – Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Make Glaze – While the cake bakes, combine apple cider, butter, sugar, and baking soda in a small saucepan and simmer until melted.
Finish With Glaze – Pour the hot glaze over the cake immediately after removing it from the oven.
Cool – Let the cake sit for 1 hour to absorb the glaze.
Serve – Invert onto a serving plate if using a bundt pan, and serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream.
Storage
Room Temperature
Store leftover cake covered at room temp for up to 1 week. Keep any extra glaze in the fridge, also up to 1 week.
Freezer
Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temp before serving.
Eden’s Recipe Tips
Choose the Right Apples: Use a mix of tart and sweet apples for the best flavor. Granny Smith and Honey-crisp apples create the perfect balance.
Buttermilk Substitute: Don’t have buttermilk on hand? See my recipe for making your own buttermilk with regular milk and lemon juice or vinegar works!
Bundt Pan Option: This cake works well in different pans. A well-greased bundt pan creates an impressive presentation that’s perfect for special occasions.
Glaze Alternative: The cake is versatile with toppings. Try using cream cheese frosting, buttercream frosting, or maple syrup frosting in place of the glaze.
Variations: Cranberry Apple Cake – Mix in fresh or dried cranberries for a tart twist, Caramel Apple Cake – Swap the glaze for a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce. Nutty Apple Cake – Add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter for crunch.
Old-Fashioned Apple Cake FAQ’s
You don’t need to pre-cook the apples—this cake bakes them beautifully right in the batter. But yes, I do recommend peeling them. The skins can make the cake a little chewy, and peeling gives you that soft, tender bite you want in an old-fashioned apple cake.
I always go for a mix of tart and sweet—Granny Smith + Honeycrisp is my favorite combo. Pink Lady and Fuji are great too. The balance of flavors makes the cake shine, and it’s the same trick I use for my easy apple crisp and caramel apple crumble bars.
Yes! Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour. I’ve tested it and it works beautifully.
I usually bake it in a 9×13, but it’s gorgeous in a bundt pan too (just be sure to grease it well). Bundt cakes are my favorite trick when I want dessert to feel a little fancy without the extra work, kind of like my pistachio bundt cake.
Stick a toothpick in the center—if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, you’re good! Just no raw batter.
More Homemade Cake Recipes
If you make this old-fashioned apple cake, let me know by leaving a comment below! AND if you go apple picking, this is the perfect recipe to use up your haul. I also love making homemade apple pie, apple crisp, and caramel apple crumble bars too!
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Old-Fashioned Fresh Apple Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Apple Cake
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups apples, peeled and finely chopped
Apple Glaze
- 1/2 cups apple cider
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions
Apple Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9×12 cake pan or a bundt pan.
- In a large mixing bowl combine all of the dry ingredients – sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and cardamom.
- Whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and buttermilk in a large measuring glass.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Fold in the chopped apples.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Apple Cider Butter Glaze
- While the cake is baking, make the glaze. Add 1/2 cup apple cider, 1/2 stick butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 tsp baking soda into a small saucepan and simmer until it’s all melted.
- When the cake is finished baking, remove and pour the butter mixture over the hot cake and let it sit for 1 hour.
- Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes before inverting it onto a plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- The type of apple you use and how big they’re cut.
- The size and shape of your baking dish and how well you like your cake.
- An oven’s actual temperature. Every oven is different so that yours may run hot or cold.
- The elevation you’re baking at. Higher elevations tend to require longer baking times.
- We suggest checking your cake a few minutes before the recipe says it will be done. Start with 1 hour and go from there.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is the moistest cake I ever had. It is delicious. It helps alot if you have a apple peeler-slice-corer device to speedup the dicing of the apple. Also the cake is is hard to tooth pick test. Cook til temperature is 210 DEGREES in the center of the cake.
Love to hear that and thank you for the tips too!
Just baked it, poured the glaze over it and waiting for it to cool so we can eat it!! Easy bake and looks delicious!!!
oh my goodness! this is an amazing tasting cake and I cant wait to make it again in the fall
Moist & delicious!! Love the chunks of apple in each bite! It has the perfect apple flavor!
OMG I loooooove this cake! It’s so moist with the BEST flavor…..tastes like home.