Apple Pie Cake – Is it pie or is it cake? It’s both! This sweet, cinnamon-y, moist pastry is a year round hit, no matter the season!
Pie or cake? Is this the eternal question in anyone else kitchen or just mine? Luckily through my own tireless efforts and much taste testing (a real grind I know) I have the answer to your dessert dilemma. This apple pie cake recipe combines the best of both worlds; soft spongy cake meets syrupy apple pie filling and the rest is history. Whether you have vanilla ice cream on hand or not, this is the sweet treat to end your day with.
I simply love this pie cake, that’s what I’ll call it from now on, pie cake. It’s so simple to make, and yes I did use a yellow cake mix just because this is supposed to be a quick cake, so I’m all about taking shortcuts during times like this. This pie cake has 3 layers, the yellow cake, the apples and the topping. It’s simply divine!
Ingredients In Apple Pie Cake
Be sure to check out my recipe card at the bottom of the page for more detailed measurements and instructions.
Apple mixture
- Apples – I used Macintosh apples as they’re in season at the moment here in Canada, however any kind will do! Be sure to slice them thin and bite sized.
- Brown sugar – I used brown sugar for this recipe as I want to develop a nice dark color for my apple ‘filling’. It will also give a note of caramel to the dish.
- Lemon juice – This will prevent the sliced apples from oxidizing before they’re put in the oven, it also gives a nice tart note to the dish.
Cake
- Boxed yellow cake mix – This is meant to be a quick cake and you all know by now that when the time calls for it, I’m not shy about taking shortcuts. If gluten free is available feel free to use that instead.
- Water – This particular cake mix called for water but if yours calls for milk use that instead.
- Oil – A light flavorless oil, canola is always a good go to, is important for ensuring your cake turns out moist.
- Eggs – This will bind our batter.
Topping
- Flour – I used all purpose, gluten free flour will also work fine.
- Brown sugar – The molasses in the brown sugar will melt down in the oven, forming a beautiful thin crust of sugar over top of the cake.
- Salt – Say it with me now: every good dessert is only as good as it’s sugar to salt balance.
- Butter – As we want this topping to be crumbly, butter will be cut in with a fork.
How To Make Apple Pie Cake
This apple pie cake recipe has 3 layers; the yellow cake layer, apple pie mixture, and the heavenly topping. Each will be poured over the last in your cake pan.
Prepare your oven: Preheat oven to 350 F degrees and spray a 13 x 9 inch pan with cooking spray.
Prepare the cake mix: Prepare the yellow cake according to package instructions: add cake mix, the 3 eggs, water, and oil to the bowl of your mixer and mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan.
Combine apple mixture: In a medium bowl, toss together the apple mixture ingredients before spreading them evenly over the cake batter.
Make the topping: In a medium bowl stir together the flour, brown sugar, and salt for your topping. Cut the butter in using a fork to ensure that the topping becomes crumbly as the butter is worked in. Sprinkle this mixture over the apples evenly.
Finish the pie cake: Bake anywhere from 35 minutes to an hour, or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before serving. If you’re feeling fancy, feel free to sprinkle the dessert liberally with powdered sugar before serving.
Storing Apple Pie Cake
The best method of storage is to refrigerate in an air tight container for up to 3-4 days. If freezing be sure to let it cool to room temperature before wrapping in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
Craving More Desserts? Try These:
- Apple Pie Taquitos
- Churro Apple Pie Cookies
- Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars
- Classic Apple Pie
- Quick Apple Turnovers
- Chocolate Swiss Roll
Looking for more recipes? Follow on... My Newsletter Pinterest Facebook Instagram
Apple Pie Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box yellow cake mix I used Betty Crocker SuperMoist yellow cake mix
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/3 cup oil
- 3 eggs
Apple Mixture
- 6 apples peeled, cored and sliced
- 3 tbsp brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Topping
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees and spray a 13x9 inch pan with baking spray.
- Prepare the yellow cake according to package instructions: add cake mix, 3 eggs, water and oil to the bowl of your mixer and mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the apple mixture ingredients together and spread over the cake batter.
- In a medium bowl stir together the flour, brown sugar and salt for the topping and cut in the butter using a fork or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
- Sprinkle topping over the apples and cake batter, evenly.
- Bake anywhere from 35 minutes to an hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if preferred.
Nancy says
Wondering if you can make this in 2 round cake pans? Would that work if you divided everything in half? (Is for a birthday cake). :). Have you ever tried to make it a double layer cake? Please reply soon as it is for a birthday
Jo Cooks Team says
8 or 9 inch round pans would work well depending on how thick you want the layers! Enjoy.
Jill says
Can I substitute non dairy butter like earth balance to keep it dairy free?
jo says
I haven’t tried it myself, so I cannot tell you with certainty, but I think it should be ok.
Joe V says
I made this cake not sure about quantity of apples could you possibly give quantity in cups even if its appx. I used honeycrisp apples and they were fairly large
Jo Cooks Team says
You’ll need about 4.5 cups.
SDeb says
It’s in the oven baking and the whole house smells wonderful. I won’t be tasting it until tomorrow, so I’ll come back and let you know how I liked it.
Jo Cooks Team says
Let us know! 🙂
Deb says
This was very delicious. It was a bit crumbly but this had a wonderful almost butter taste to it. All I had was some quite small Granny Smith’s and I could have used another 2-3 apples. I live at 4500 ft elevation so I had to add a little extra flour and I decreased the oil by one tbs. I baked it for 50 minutes checking the cake every every 5 minutes after 30 mins had passed.. It needs some tinkering but it is really delicious. I had some heavy cream for whipping but it really doesn’t need it. I will add some extra cinnamon next time too.
kelly says
Can you put oats in the crumble top? Would you change the other ingredients to the topping if you did?
Jo Cooks Team says
For sure feel free to add some oats!
Jenny says
I can’t wait to try this! Do you know if I could substitute the cake mix for a gluten free cake mix? Would I need to change up the ingredients at all?
Jo Cooks Team says
You can give it a go! Compare the ingredients on your box of cake mix to a regular box.
Jenni F says
Can I use melted butter instead of oil ,for a richer taste ?
Jo Cooks Team says
Yes you can!
peggy says
can you use canned apples
Jo Cooks Team says
Yes you can! I’d still add some cinnamon and lemon juice for flavor but you can skip the brown sugar. Keep in mind that canned apples may give you a bit of a different texture versus fresh.
Joann says
what kind of apples do you use?
Nicole Beaulieu says
We used Granny Smith. Any type you have on hand will work!
Jeanne Ostnes says
I made 3 dozen cupcakes with this recipe. They came out wonderfully in the paper cups and baked for 25 minutes. I used the grey non stick pan, 12 at a time. I am at sea level. Thank you.
Guest says
The cake was excellent in texture and taste. Followed exact and at high altitude. Imho suggest only making it if it will be eaten by large crowd on day one because day two it became unpleasantly moist and day three it was soup for trash. Grin. Thank you
Susan says
Everyone loved the cake. Maybe needed more cinnamon for me. It is probably more like a breakfast cake. Maybe drizzle some icing over it vs powdered sugar.
Frances Kucka says
I am baking this cake right now and I got scared when the cake oozed up over the filling. It has now covered it completely. Then I looked at your final picture and now believe this is not unusual. Hope I’m right. LOL Sounded delicious, can’t wait to try it.
Joanna Cismaru says
Ha! That’s what’s supposed to happen. 🙂
Susan says
I want so badly to make this cake but 35 min to 1hr is a hugh difference in baking time.
Nicole Beaulieu says
Since this uses a boxed cake mix, each brand will have different baking times. This is the best estimate we can give you without knowing which type you have, but use the box as a guideline!
Mary says
I made this recipe in the early afternoon. Don’t let the big difference in time scare you off. Between the amount of liquid in various apple types as well as different brands of apples, there is bound to be differences in baking time. My oven runs hot so I began testing at 27 min. It was very wet. I added 5 min over & over until the top was golden. When the cake began pulling away from the pan, it was ready. It is absolutely Delicious! Thank you for posting it.
Diana LaCour says
Can I use white cake mix?
Nicole Beaulieu says
Yes you can!