Apple pie cake gives you all the flavor of a homemade apple pie without the fuss of making pie crust. This apple pie cake doesn’t use a boxed cake mix, instead it uses pantry staples for a from scratch cake that your family will love.
This simple apple cake recipe can be served as part of a brunch in its coffee cake style or be eaten as dessert. Or maybe even a snack with tea. Truly there’s not a wrong time to eat apple pie cake.
Pie Filling
The thing that makes this cake so very easy is that it uses pre-made pie filling. I used a homemade, canned apple pie filling here but something purchased from the store would work just as well.
While not specifically tested, I imagine any fruit pie filling would work here. Feel free to try using cherry or berry instead of apple if that’s what you have on hand.
Spice Options
You may want to skip additional spice in the cake and streusel topping if your pie filling is already heavily spiced.
If desired, you could easily switch up the spice as well. Use cardamom or nutmeg instead of cinnamon in the cake batter, especially if cinnamon is already in the pie filling.
Use ginger or some other spice in the struesel for an additional kick of flavor.
Gluten-Free & Vegan Variations
Switch the flour for your favorite gluten-free flour blend to keep it gluten-free and make sure to use a gluten-free apple pie filling.
For vegans switch the butter for a plant based spread instead and use a flax egg. Use nut or other plant based milk.
Optional Additions
Want to make the cake even heartier? Here are some ideas:
- Stir in up to 1 cup of chopped nuts
- Use seeds like sunflower or pumpkin instead of nuts
- Add 1 cup of dried fruit (cranberries, raisins)
Serving Ideas
A person could drizzle the cooled cake with just a bit of vanilla glaze for a very lovely presentation.
This is a very coffee-cake like baked good. Serve it as a part of a brunch spread with fresh fruit, eggs, coffee and tea.
To make this a dessert, serve it with some whipped cream or ice cream
Apple Pie Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease a 9" square cake pan.
- Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Mix well with a fork until everything is combined. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk together the egg, melted butter, and milk until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and and stir until almost combined.
- Add the apple pie filling and mix until the batter comes together completely.
- Spread the batter into the prepared cake pan.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping over the batter evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until browned and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool on wire rack before serving.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
Other Fruit Cakes
Fruit cakes are a great way to treat your family and use fresh or preserved seasonal fruits. If you need more fruit cake ideas, try the pear cranberry spoon cake, it’s a family favorite!
Thanks I’m going to make this. Last year I canned apple pie filling and I never used any of it!
Easy and Yummy!!
FINALLY – a recipe that calls for real ingredients! I have an old Betty Crocker Cowboy Cake recipe that I always top with my homemade apple pie filling or applesauce, but it’s more time consuming to make and my kitchen is a disaster since I’m deep into canning/harvest season. Did a quick Google search and found this, I about fell over when I saw it called for homemade pie filling & no nasty boxed cake mix. Super easy & quick to make – we just finished eating it. I made my apple pie filling really low sugar this time and I forgot when I made the cake so it was a little under-sweetened for dessert (would be perfect for earlier in the day) so I drizzled a little maple syrup on it and topped with homemade whipped cream – PERFECT! I could see using this recipe with other pie fillings like cherry & peach. Thank you so much, this is going to be printed on a real recipe card and kept in my permanent files.
FINALLY – a recipe that calls for real ingredients! I have an old Betty Crocker Cowboy Cake recipe that I always top with my homemade apple pie filling or applesauce, but it’s more time consuming to make and my kitchen is a disaster since I’m deep into canning/harvest season. Did a quick Google search and found this, I about fell over when I saw it called for homemade pie filling & no nasty boxed cake mix. Super easy & quick to make – we just finished eating it. I made my apple pie filling really low sugar this time and I forgot when I made the cake so it was a little under-sweetened for dessert (would be perfect for earlier in the day) so I drizzled a little maple syrup on it and topped with homemade whipped cream – PERFECT! I could see using this recipe with other pie fillings like cherry & peach. Thank you so much, this is going to be printed on a real recipe card and kept in my permanent files.
Made this Apple cake, I doubled the recipe. Baked in a 9 by 13 pan looks beautiful, making it was as easy as Apple Pie, no pun intended.
Oh so glad to hear it!