Apple Fritter Cake

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Apple fritters and coffee cake had a baby, and this is it. All the flavors of a good apple fritter—cinnamon-sugar swirls, chunks of apple, that crispy-sweet glaze—but in cake form. No deep frying. No standing over hot oil. Just a pan of cake that tastes like you brought home a box of fritters from the best bakery in town.

The cake itself is tender and buttery. The apple-cinnamon filling gets swirled through in ribbons. The glaze soaks into the warm cake and hardens slightly on top, giving you that classic fritter finish. It’s breakfast or dessert, depending on how you justify it.

What You’ll Need

For the Cake:

2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
½ cup whole milk, room temperature

For the Apple Filling:

3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced small
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

For the Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
4-5 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Tools:

9×13-inch baking pan
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Small saucepan
Electric mixer or whisk
Spatula
Vegetable peeler
Chef’s knife
Measuring cups and spoons
Wire cooling rack
Small bowl for glaze

Making the Apple Filling

In your small saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples soften slightly and release some juice.

Sprinkle the flour over the apples and stir. Cook for another minute. The mixture should thicken slightly.

Remove from heat and let it cool while you make the cake batter.

Preparing the Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease your 9×13-inch pan with butter or cooking spray.

In your medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In your large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla extract.

In a small measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream and milk.

Add a third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until combined. Add half of the sour cream mixture and mix. Continue alternating, ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until no flour streaks remain. Don’t overmix.

Assembling and Swirling

Pour half of the batter into your prepared pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.

Spoon half of the apple filling over the batter in dollops. Use a butter knife to gently swirl it into the batter. Don’t mix it completely—you want distinct ribbons of apple filling.

Pour the remaining batter over the top and spread carefully. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

Spoon the rest of the apple filling on top. Swirl again with the knife, creating a marbled pattern.

Baking

Bake for 40-45 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs and the top is golden brown.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes before glazing. You want it warm but not hot, so the glaze soaks in without completely melting away.

Making the Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk (start with 4 tablespoons), and vanilla extract. The glaze should be thick but pourable. If it’s too thick, add another tablespoon of milk. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Glazing

Pour the glaze over the warm cake. Use a spatula to spread it evenly if needed, but it’s fine if it drips and pools in spots. That’s the fritter aesthetic.

Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes before cutting. It will harden slightly but stay soft and sweet.