Description
This Glazed Honeycrisp Apple Fritter Cake combines the cozy flavors of cinnamon-spiced apples with a moist, tender cake base, all topped with a sweet vanilla glaze and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. It’s a delightful fall dessert that captures the essence of classic apple fritters in an easy-to-bake cake form, perfect for serving warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup apple butter (or applesauce/pumpkin butter)
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Apple Filling
- 2 Honeycrisp apples, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a 9×9 inch baking dish with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the cake after baking.
- Make the Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, apple butter, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir these together until smooth. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Prepare the Apple Mixture: In a separate bowl, combine the chopped Honeycrisp apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Mix well until the apples are evenly coated.
- Assemble the Cake: Spread half of the cake batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. Spoon about half of the apple mixture over the batter. Then, dollop and spread the remaining batter over the apples. Finally, top with the remaining apple mixture including any juices left in the bowl to add moisture and flavor.
- Bake the Cake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, until the cake is just set in the center and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and Prepare the Glaze: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together powdered sugar, whole milk (starting with 2 tablespoons and adding more as needed to reach a drizzle consistency), and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the glaze over the warm cake and sprinkle with flaky sea salt for a balanced sweet-salty finish. Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!
Notes
- This cake mimics the flavors and texture of apple fritters but in a moist, tender cake form—making it a perfect fall treat.
- Use Honeycrisp apples for the best balance of sweetness and tartness that holds up well in baking.
- Apple butter can be substituted with applesauce or pumpkin butter depending on availability and flavor preference.
- Adjust the glaze milk quantity to achieve your desired consistency for drizzling.
- Sprinkling flaky sea salt on the glaze enhances the cake’s flavor by adding a subtle salty contrast.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of cake)
- Calories: 396 kcal
- Sugar: 29 g
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
