This two-tiered German Apple Cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting is a decadent fall dessert recipe that’s loaded with seasonal flavor and charm.
German Apple Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
Cake is a happy place for me. If the calories didn’t count, I would probably eat a slice almost every day. Who’s with me?
Today I am beyond thrilled to be back with my Tastes of the Season blogger friends. Each of us is sharing one of our favorite fall apple-inspired recipes. As you’ve probably figured out, my contribution to this recipe fest is a German Apple Cake. At the end of this post, you’ll find five more incredibly tasty fall apple desserts that you’re also going to want to make.
Before we get to those, however, let’s talk about my German Apple Cake.
What is German Apple Cake:
From my research, I learned there are several versions of German Apple Cake. I’m not sure this recipe is the most traditional one, but that doesn’t make it any less wonderful. For added interest, I decided to take the recipe that I had (which was made in a 9 x 13-inch pan) and turn it into a two-tiered cake. That probably makes this recipe even less traditional, but that’s fine by me. Putting a twist on the classics is one of the things I love to do.
Because I was crazy excited to make this Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, I may have put a bit too much of it on my cake. When you make this recipe, I suggest being a little less generous with the frosting. That is unless you’re a frosting freak like me. Then, by all means, go to town.
No matter how you make it, German Apple Cake is a winner. It’s a moist, dense, and rich cake that’s loaded with apples and flavor. (Want more apple recipes? I just put a post together with ALL OF MY FAVORITES. You can find it HERE.) It also has pecans. If pecans aren’t your thing, feel free to substitute walnuts or leave the nuts out altogether. You’ll still end up with a delectable cake.
Let me walk you through the recipe!
How to Make German Apple Cake:
Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. (A full ingredient list and detailed recipe instructions are available in the printable recipe card below.)
In a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Use a hand mixer on medium speed to combine. Add the flour mixture and mix again until just combined. Fold in the chopped apples and pecans. The batter will be thick.
Side note: I used my new cordless KitchenAid hand mixer to make this cake. The mixer is a DREAM. I highly recommend it. You can read more about it HERE.
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared baking pans. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pan on a wire rack. These cakes are delicate, so when removing them from the pan, be gentle and don’t rush. I used a large dinner plate to make the process easy.
While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting. Using a mixer, blend the cream cheese and butter. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time. Add the kosher salt and cinnamon. Mix until the ingredients are well combined and the frosty is fluffy.
Transfer one of the cake rounds to the serving platter and spread frosting on that first layer of cake. Position the second cake round on the frosting and then top the second layer of cake with more frosting. Use an offset spatula to smooth the top and sides of the cake.
I went for a “naked” cake effect. It gives a rustic-looking cake. It also doesn’t require a lot of frosting skill so it’s one of the easiest ways to frost a cake. In essence, you’re just scraping off the frosting to let some of the cake show through.
To garnish the cake, top it with apple slices and chopped pecans. I tossed my apple slices in lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.
You can serve this cake immediately or store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. I suggest allowing the cake to come to room temperature before serving so the frosting is soft.
And that’s a wrap on my German Apple Cake!
As you can see, this cake is loaded with apples and other warm and comforting fall flavors. It’s a rich cake, so a thin slice is probably all you need.
Looking for more apple-based recipes? Try these:
- Aunt Maybe’s Apple Strudel
- Cream Cheese Apple Turnovers
- Apple Cranberry Tart
- Apple Streusel Cake
- Apple Cranberry Slab Pie
If you’re having a small gathering this fall, give this German Apple Cake a try. And if you’re looking for other treats for fall, be sure to check out all of the delicious Tastes of the Season apple recipes below. What will you put on your “Must-Make” List?
Happy baking, my friends!
Tastes of the Season: Fall Apple Recipes:
Slow Cooker Baked Cinnamon Apples by Ella Claire & Co. | Mini Apple Pies by French Country Cottage | German Apple Cake by Inspired by Charm
Apple Butter Pie by Anderson + Grant | Apple Cake by Boxwood Avenue | Apple Blossom Mini Pies by Handmade Farmhouse
German Apple Cake Recipe:
German Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup canola - (or vegetable oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups peeled, cored, and chopped apples - (That's about 3 apples. I used Granny Smith.)
- 3/4 cups pecans
- 8 ounces cream cheese - softened
- 1/2 cup butter - softened
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Thin apple slices and chopped pecans for garnish
Instructions
- Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Use a hand mixer on medium speed to combine. Add the flour mixture and mix again until just combined. Fold in the chopped apples and pecans. The batter will be thick.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared baking pans. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pans on a wire rack.
- In the meantime, prepare the frosting. Using a mixer, blend the cream cheese and butter. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar, one cup at a time. Add the kosher salt and cinnamon. Mix until the ingredients are well combined and the frosting is fluffy.
- Transfer one cake to the serving plate and spread frosting on that layer. Top with the other cake round and add another layer of frosting on top of that. Smooth the top and sides of the cake with an offset spatula. Garnish with the apple slices and chopped pecans.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If refrigerating, allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
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This was a major hit – I took it to a dinner party. I was in need of a way to use up some over-ripe Braeburn apples and this was the perfect application. The cake batter was an interesting consistency but when mixed with ample apples it was delicious. The only modification I made was to the frosting – I felt it needed a little something to cut the sweetness so I added ~1 Tbs of bourbon; took the “fluff” down a little but really amped up the flavor. If booze in your food isn’t your thing, vanilla would also work. For sure will make this again – everyone had two pieces!