Description
This Glazed Honeycrisp Apple Fritter Cake is a moist, tender cake layered with cinnamon-spiced Honeycrisp apples and a sweet, silky vanilla glaze with a touch of flaky sea salt. With the perfect balance of buttery richness, warm spices, and fresh apple flavor, it brings the comfort of classic apple fritters to an easy-to-make baked cake that’s perfect for dessert or a special breakfast treat.
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 Mixture
- 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 dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9 inch baking dish with parchment paper, ensuring it covers the bottom and sides for easy removal.
- Make the cake batter: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, apple butter, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until combined—do not overmix to keep the cake tender.
- Prepare the apple mixture: In a separate bowl, toss the chopped Honeycrisp apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract until the apples are evenly coated.
- Assemble the cake layers: Spread half of the batter evenly in the prepared baking dish. Spoon about half of the apple mixture on top. Carefully cover the apples with the remaining batter, then top with the remaining apples along with any juices left from the bowl.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until the cake is just set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Make the glaze: While the cake cools, whisk the powdered sugar, whole milk (starting with 2 tablespoons), and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more milk if needed to achieve a drizzle-ready glaze.
- Glaze and serve: Drizzle the glaze evenly over the warm cake. Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt to enhance the flavors. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy your delicious Honeycrisp Apple Fritter Cake!
Notes
- Use Honeycrisp apples for their sweet-tart flavor and crisp texture which holds up well during baking.
- If you don’t have apple butter, unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin butter make great substitutes.
- Make sure the eggs are at room temperature to help create a smooth batter.
- Do not overmix the batter after adding the flour to keep the cake light and tender.
- The flaky sea salt sprinkled on top provides a wonderful contrast to the sweet glaze—it’s worth adding!
- Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of cake)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
