Old-Fashioned Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting

Name: Old-Fashioned Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 47 min
Total time: 1 h 7 min
Cuisine: American, Southern
Ingredients: 2 1/3 cups (280g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour; 1 2/3 cups (330g) granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 3/4 teaspoon table salt; 1 1/2 teaspoons [product-link]Apple Pie Spice[/product-link] or 1 teaspoon [product-link]cinnamon[/product-link] plus 1/4 teaspoon each [product-link]ginger[/product-link] and [product-link]nutmeg[/product-link]; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, softened; 4 cups (425g) peeled, cored, finely chopped apple (1/4" to 1/2" dice), from about 3 to 4 medium apples*; 2 tablespoons (43g) boiled cider, optional; 1 cup (113g) walnuts or pecans, toasted and diced; 2 1/4 cups (255g) confectioners' sugar; 7 tablespoons (99g) unsalted butter; 2/3 cup (142g) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed; 1/4 teaspoon table salt; 2 tablespoons (28g) milk; 2 tablespoons (43g) boiled cider*; 3/4 teaspoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Prep:20minCook:47min

This apple cake is a longtime favorite of ours for good reason. The moist, slightly chunky cake is paired with a silky smooth frosting that's reminiscent of brown sugar fudge, making each bite greater than the sum of its parts. Enjoy it with a cup of coffee — or better yet, a tall glass of ice-cold milk. We’re grateful to the classic Bakery Lane Soup Bowl cookbook for inspiring this recipe.

Updated at: Sat, 22 Aug 2026 01:00:07 GMT