Apple Fritter Cake

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All the cozy flavor of an apple fritter in a cake you can slice and share! This Apple Fritter Cake recipe combines a tender and moist brown butter apple cake with cinnamon-spiced apples, a buttery cinnamon sugar topping and a generous drizzle of vanilla glaze. Perfect for weekend brunch, an afternoon coffee break or a cozy fall dessert!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apple fritter cake, apple fritter cake recipe

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 35

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 369kcal

Author Trish - Mom On Timeout

Ingredients

Browned Butter

½ cup unsalted butter browned and cooled

Apples

2 medium Granny Smith apples peeled and diced (298 grams)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

¼ cup light brown sugar lightly packed (44 grams)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted butter

Cake

¾ cup light brown sugar lightly packed (136 grams)
½ cup Greek yogurt full-fat plain , room temperature (116 grams)
1 large egg room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 168 grams
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Vanilla Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar 108 grams
2 tablespoons whole milk
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

Brown Butter

Place the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat.
½ cup unsalted butter
Stirring frequently, cook the butter until it is completely melted, foams, and turns a golden brown color. About 5-7 minutes.
Immediately pour the butter into a heat-safe glass bowl, scraping any brown bits from the pan, and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease and line an 8x8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Allow the edges of the parchment paper to hang over the sides.

Apple and Topping

In a medium bowl, combine the diced apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Set aside.
2 medium Granny Smith apples, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
To make the cinnamon sugar topping, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter with a fork and set aside. The mixture is runny, not like a crumble.
¼ cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons melted butter

Cake

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a medium bowl using a hand mixer, mix the cooled brown butter (from above), brown sugar, Greek yogurt, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
¾ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until combined.
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. The cake batter is thick.
Reserve ½ cup of the apples and set aside. Fold the remaining apples into the cake batter.
Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Scatter the remaining reserved apples on top. Use a piping bag or spoon and drizzle the cinnamon sugar topping all over the top of the cake.
Bake for 35-45 minutes. I like to check my cake at 35 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs, the center springs back slightly, and the edges are a nice deep golden brown. My cake was finished at 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vanilla glaze.

Vanilla Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons whole milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste, pinch fine sea salt
Afterward, generously drizzle the glaze over the warm cake and allow the cake to set for at least 25 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Storage Information

Room temperature: Store tightly covered in a cool spot for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Let slices come to room temperature before serving for a softer texture.
Freezer: Freeze the unglazed cake tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, then add fresh glaze before serving.
Make ahead: The flavor actually improves after a few hours as the cinnamon and apple flavors develop. Bake it the day before and store it covered at room temperature.
Leftovers: Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring slices to room temperature or warm briefly before serving.

Please see post above for more information, step-by-step process photos, recipe tips and frequently asked questions.

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