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Apple Fritter Cake

Apple fritter cake is baked until golden with cinnamon-sugar apples layered through a tender vanilla cake, then finished with a thick powdered sugar glaze drizzle. The cinnamon swirl and apple pieces create that fritter-style texture in an easy sheet-pan format.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 lb unsalted butter, softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.75 cup whole milk
For apple cinnamon layer
  • 2 cup apples, peeled and diced
  • 0.333 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
For glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2.5 tbsp milk
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake-ready setup
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F, then grease a 9x13 baking dish with a light coating so the cake releases cleanly.
Toss the apples
  1. Toss diced apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly coated, then set the bowl aside with visible cinnamon specks on the fruit.
Make the cake batter
  1. Beat softened butter and granulated sugar until fluffy and lighter in color.
  2. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  3. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt together.
  4. Alternate adding the dry mixture and whole milk to the butter mixture, mixing just until the batter looks thick and cohesive.
Layer and swirl
  1. Spread half the batter in the greased 9x13 dish in an even layer.
  2. Scatter half the cinnamon apples over the batter so the top is dotted with fruit pieces.
  3. Add the remaining batter, then arrange remaining apples on top in a loose layer.
  4. Swirl the top gently with a knife to create ribbon-like cinnamon pockets (you should see streaks forming).
Bake and finish
  1. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350F until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  2. Cool for 15 minutes before glazing so the cake thickens and the glaze stays drizzly rather than fully absorbing.
  3. Whisk powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons milk and vanilla until thick, then drizzle across the cake in irregular stripes.

Notes

Pro tip: dice apples fairly small and similar in size so they cook evenly and stay jammy. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; rewarm slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. Freezing is yes—freeze cooled slices for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, substitute part of the butter with unsweetened applesauce (use 1/4 cup) to reduce fat while keeping tenderness.