15 Old-Fashioned Apple Cake Recipes You’ll Love

If you love desserts that feel warm, familiar, and deeply comforting, this collection of old-fashioned apple cake recipes is for you. These bakes celebrate simple ingredients, cozy spices, and the natural sweetness of apples, coming together in cakes that feel both nostalgic and timeless. From soft cinnamon-spiced loaves to caramel-topped classics and moist applesauce cakes, each recipe brings homemade flavor and dependable results you’ll want to bake again and again.

Apple Cake with Cinnamon

An apple cake baked in a cast iron skillet, cut into slices. — Apple Cake with Cinnamon. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

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This cake blends soft apple chunks with a warm cinnamon aroma. As it bakes, the apples soften and release their juices into the crumb. The top gains a light golden color that contrasts with the moist interior. Every slice carries a balanced mix of spice and fruit.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cake with Cinnamon

Apple Cinnamon Cake

Chunks of apple sit in a warmly spiced batter that rises into a soft, moist cake. Cinnamon shapes the aroma from the first cut. Apples keep the crumb tender and flavorful. It works well warm or cooled.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cinnamon Cake

Apple Cobbler Cake Recipe

A baked apple dessert topped with pecans in a rectangular dish, surrounded by whole apples and a colorful napkin. — Apple Cobbler Cake Recipe. Photo credit: Mama’s on a Budget.

This cake merges cobbler style topping with a cake like base. Apples bubble up during baking, creating small pockets of juice. The top forms a slightly textured crust. The combination offers both spoonable softness and a bit of structure.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cobbler Cake Recipe

Apple Dapple Cake

A slice of glazed apple cake sits on a white plate with a fork; a baking dish and whole apples are in the background. — Apple Dapple Cake. Photo credit: .

This traditional cake includes chopped apples and a drizzle that sinks gently into the crumb. The flavor leans warm and mellow. The outside takes on a caramel tinted color as it bakes. Dense slices hold together well.
Get the Recipe: Apple Dapple Cake

Apple Ginger Cake

Ginger adds a lively note that pairs with the natural sweetness of apple. The crumb stays soft while carrying subtle spice. Small apple pieces soften lightly into the batter. A simple glaze can highlight the ginger aroma.
Get the Recipe: Apple Ginger Cake

Apple Pecan Cake

A square piece of cake with a caramel glaze is served on a white plate. — Apple Pecan Cake. Photo credit: Maria’s Mixing Bowl.

Apples and pecans bake together into a warm, nutty dessert. Pecans add texture that contrasts with the soft fruit. The crumb remains tender with a pleasant bite from the nuts. A hint of spice supports both flavors.
Get the Recipe: Apple Pecan Cake

Apple Sheet Cake

A slice of apple cake topped with caramel sauce is served on a white plate, with green apples and a glass of caramel in the background. — Apple Sheet Cake. Photo credit: Xoxo Bella.

This large format cake spreads apple pieces across a thin, soft layer of batter. It bakes quickly and cuts clean squares. Cinnamon adds depth without taking over. The apples keep the cake moist across the entire pan.
Get the Recipe: Apple Sheet Cake

Apple Spice Rum Cakes

A small bundt cake topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce, served on a white plate. — Apple Spice Rum Cakes. Photo credit: Joyfully Mad.

Small cakes combine apple warmth with a mild rum essence. The texture stays tender and moist. Apples provide tiny pockets of sweetness in each bite. A light glaze can enhance the aroma.
Get the Recipe: Apple Spice Rum Cakes

Applesauce Cake

A square slice of frosted cake with visible nuts is served on a white scalloped plate with a fork resting beside it. — Applesauce Cake. Photo credit: Easy Homemade Life.

Applesauce keeps the crumb soft and evenly moist. The flavor leans gentle with hints of spice. It bakes with a smooth surface that takes well to glazing or a dusting of sugar. Each slice holds its shape without crumbling.
Get the Recipe: Applesauce Cake

Caramel Apple Dump Cake

A bowl of cake with ice cream on top. — Caramel Apple Dump Cake. Photo credit: Little House Big Alaska.

A few ingredients form a warm, bubbling apple base under a golden topping. The caramel mixes with the fruit as it bakes. The topping becomes slightly crisp while the interior stays soft. It serves best with a spoon.
Get the Recipe: Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Caramel Apple Icebox Cake

A slice of layered dessert with whipped cream and caramel sauce on top, served on a white plate with apples and caramel sauce in the background. — Caramel Apple Icebox Cake. Photo credit: .

Layers of cookies or crackers soften under caramel cream and apple filling. Chilled time turns the layers into a smooth, cohesive dessert. Apple pieces add freshness and texture. Clean slices reveal the stacked layers clearly.
Get the Recipe: Caramel Apple Icebox Cake

Fresh Apple Cake

Fresh apples lend moisture and a bright aroma throughout the crumb. The batter surrounds the fruit without overpowering it. The cake stays tender for several days. Spices can be adjusted to preference without altering the structure.
Get the Recipe: Fresh Apple Cake

Nanna’s Apple Cake

A round apple cake with a cinnamon-sugar topping on a white square plate, placed on a wooden table next to an apple, a cinnamon stick, and a floral napkin. — Nanna’s Apple Cake. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

This classic family recipe leans on simple flavors and a soft crumb. Apples provide sweetness that spreads through every slice. The top often has a thin crust that adds contrast. Warm spices support the apples in a gentle way.
Get the Recipe: Nanna’s Apple Cake

Pecan Apple Cake

Apples maintain moisture while pecans bring crunch. The two ingredients blend into a balanced, warm flavor. The crumb stays stable and easy to slice. The top may pick up a slightly toasted note from the nuts.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Apple Cake

The Best Easy Cinnamon Apple Cake

A slice of apple cake on a plate, dusted with powdered sugar. Two whole green apples are in the background, with more cake in the background on a serving plate. — The Best Easy Cinnamon Apple Cake. Photo credit: Mama’s on a Budget.

Cinnamon shapes the fragrance of this straightforward apple filled cake. Apples soften into the batter and create gentle sweetness. The surface gains light color as it bakes. The crumb remains tender and generously spiced.
Get the Recipe: The Best Easy Cinnamon Apple Cake