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.This recipe is part of the 49 Best Fall Recipes, Ranked. View the full collection here and see where your favorites rank!

Updated at: Tue, 04 Nov 2025 02:29:07 GMT