These Apple Fritter Cakes are moist, tender cakes packed with fresh apples, apple cider, and topped with a crisp, buttery streusel and enrobed in a vanilla, apple cider glaze.
A few weeks ago I posted these Apple Fritter Doughnuts, and they’ve been on my mind ever since. I made them 3 time because they were so darn delicious. But I have to be honest, the process is rather long, and it involves deep frying. So I came up with a recipe for these Apple Fritter Cakes.
They’re packed with fresh apples and apple cider. Rather than the crisp exterior coming from deep frying, I coated every square inch of the cakes with a buttery, crisp streusel.
Not only is the streusel on the top of these Apple Fritter Cakes, but it’s also in the middle of these cakes. I placed a layer of cake batter in the bottom of each pan, then sprinkled fresh apples and streusel in the middle before topping it with more cake batter.
And let’s not forgot the apple cider glaze! It has a hint of vanilla, and it gives the Apple Fritter Cakes an extra layer of apple cider flavor.
The first time I baked these Apple Fritter Cakes, they were almost completely gone before I could even try one. After my 7-year old came home from school, she ate an entire cake herself. I was planning to sliver a piece off for myself, but I guess I was a little too slow.
Then after dinner, I came down once the kids were in bed to find 2 more cakes gone. I was totally confused until I heard a fork clinking against a plate in my husband’s study. When I walked into his study,there were only a few morsels of streusel left on the plate. I was more than happy to scoop them up and eat them, but the cake itself still eluded me. Needless to say, these Apple Fritter Cakes were a hit in my house, and I think they will be in your house too!
- For the Streusel:
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbs ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- For the Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- For the Apple Filling
- 2 medium apples peeled, cored, and chopped (I used 1 Granny Smith and 1 Honey Crisp, but you can choose whichever apples you’d like.)
- 2 tbs granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- For the Glaze:
- 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup apple cider
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp salt
- In a medium bowl mix the sugars, cinnamon and salt.
- Add the melted butter and mix until combined.
- Add the flour, and mix. Large clumps will form.
- Set aside while making the cake.
- Preheat the oven for 350 degrees F
- Line with parchment and grease 5, 4-inch round cake pans. (Or you can use a 9-inch loaf pan)
- In a medium bowl sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined.
- Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
- Add the flour mixture in thirds, adding 1/2 of the apple cider between the addition of the flour mixture.
- Mix until just combined.
- Place enough cake batter to just line the bottom of the pan.
- Place 2 tbs of the streusel mixture and apple mixture in the pan.
- Top the apple mixture with just enough cake batter to cover it.
- Finally add another 2 tbs of the apple mixture and 2 tbs of the streusel mixture to top.
- Bake the cakes in the preheated oven for about 40 to 45 min or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached. (If you use a loaf pan, bake it for 55 to 60 min.)
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans on a cooling rack for about 10 min.
- Remove the cakes from the pans and allow them to cool completely.
- While the cakes cool, make the glaze.
- Mix all the glaze ingredients.
- Once the cakes are completely cooled, drizzle glaze over the cakes.
- Allow the glaze to set for about 5 minutes.
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These Apple Cakes need to appear at my house! These sound amazing. 😮
Thanks so much Michele! They were so good – a family favorite 🙂
Dear Aida, these look splendid! I would love try these…perfect for a rainy day. xo, Catherine
Thanks so much Catherine! There’s something so comforting and warm about this cake. It’s so perfect for these cool, fall days.
Ohmegawsh – that streusel topping – that apple cider glaze – so totally irresistible! Why oh Why are these IN my computer and not on my desk?!?! 🙂
I’m also a huge streusel topping fan, Shashi! The more the better in my book 🙂
Oh my gosh, these look delicious!!!! I bet they made your kitchen smell amazing!!
Thanks so much, Taylor! You’re right. Apples baking = the best smell ever 🙂 The only other smell that gets that much attention is browned butter (which I love!).
They look so gorgeous and delicious. I yummed and stumbled your recipe/post. 🙂
Thanks so much Ramona! They were pretty darn delicious 🙂
With all of that streusel and glaze these should not even be legal. Brilliant, Aida! Pinned. 🙂