Published: · Modified: by Abeer Rizvi · This post may contain affiliate links · 68 Comments
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Quick and easy apple cake recipe with crumble topping/ crumb toping. It's soft, moist, loaded with fresh apples, cinnamon and made with a cake mix.
This cake mix apple cake is a family favorite just like myApple Pie Cakeand thisOld Fashioned Applesauce Cake.
Apple coffee cake
Because of the crumble topping, this cake is very similar to a coffee cake. You can add some cinnamon in the topping too.
Apple crumble cake/ Apple crumb cake
The crumb topping is made by combining together flour, sugar, coconut, butter into a rough, chunky mixture. That is sprinkled on top of the cake, prior to baking.
Apple spice cake
This cake is packed with nutmeg and cinnamon spices. You can add some allspice too. Make sure your spices are high quality for best flavor.
Fresh apple cake
You can use whatever type of fresh apples you like. I prefer red apples because they are sweet and not tart like the Granny Smith apples. You can also use a variety of apples, if you like.
Caramel apple cake
Drizzle caramel sauce on top of the cake, prior to serving.
Moist cake mix apple cake
You can use whatever brand of cake mix you like. As for flavor, I like to use a yellow cake mix but a spiced cake mix is also very good.
Even though this is not an apple cake recipe from scratch and starts off with a cake mix, it tastes just as good as my scratch recipe and takes even takes less time to prepare!
Variations ofold fashioned apple cake:
There are many variations of this cake from different parts of the world and each of them is made slightly differently. Based on my research there is German apple cake, Dutch apple cake, French apple cake and even Jewish apple cake.
There is also an upside down apple cake. Use my pear cake (pear upside down cake recipe) and replace pears with apples.
There is also an apple dump cake recipe, which is made by mixing together cake mix, eggs and apple pie filling. It's typically served warm with a scoop of ice cream.
There is also an apple bundt cake, which has a firmer texture and it's not as airy as this version I have shared below.
Tips for best apple cake:
- The apples used in this recipe should not be chopped too big. They should be about 1 to 1.5 inches.
- Don't use this cake batter in a bundt pan because it does not work well. You must use a rectangle pan.
- Use unsalted butter to prevent the cake from becoming too salty.
- Don't omit the crumble topping because that's what really takes this cake over the top.
- Adjust the amount of spices, based on your preference.
- Adjust the amount of apples, based on your preference. If you like a lot of apples, you can use up 6 apples in this recipe but I prefer 5.
- Yellow cake mix can be replaced with spiced cake mix too.
- You don't have to use all the sugar glaze on the cake. You can drizzle as much or as less as you like.
- Don't drizzle the glaze until the cake has cooled down completely or else it will melt and become a sticky mess.
Other Apple Recipes:
- Easy Caramel Apple Pie
- How to Make Chocolate Caramel Apples
- Mini Apple Strudel Recipe
- Homemade Apple Pie Filling
Other doctored cake mix recipes:
- Cake Mix Cookie Bars (20 Minutes)
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Cake Mix Brownies
- Easy Cake Mix Gingerbread Cookies
- How to Make Box Cake Better (Taste Homemade)
- Pistachio Cake Recipe
Apple Cake Recipe With Cake Mix
Abeer Rizvi
Quick and easy apple cake recipe with crumble topping/ crumb toping. It's soft, moist, loaded with fresh apples, cinnamon and made with a cake mix.
4.96 from 22 ratings
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
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Ingredients
- 4 Eggs Large
- 1 cup Water
- ½ cup Milk 2% or Whole
- ⅓ cup Oil
- 1 box Yellow cake mix Any brand is fine
- 5 Apples Washed, Peeled, Cored, Roughly chopped into 1.5 inch pieces
- 3 tablespoon Brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon powder
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg powder
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
Topping
- ¾ cup All-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup Coconut Desiccated or Shredded
- ½ cup Brown sugar
- ½ cup Butter Unsalted, Cut into small pieces
Sugar Glaze
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon Milk 2% or Whole
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 473kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 5gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 413mgPotassium: 170mgFiber: 2gSugar: 49gVitamin A: 375IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 134mgIron: 1.8mg
Keyword doctored cake mix recipe, easy apple cake with cake mix
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Kate
That fork technique worked out amazing! That cake looks fabulous and the apple topper is just perfect! You were saying that the recipe makes 1 8x3 cake. What size was the other tier? Were there any changes in the recipe for the larger tier? I've never made a tiered cake before but you're inspiring me. I'd love to try this one!
Reply
Abeer
Hey kate... Thanks for sweet compliment. Actually, the bottom tier is 8x3 and the top tier is smaller...it's 6x3. I ended up with extra batter. So, i used them to make cupcakes and had them for brekfast...lol. however, i prefer the cake slices over the cupcake version of these.
I reallyhope you make this cake...tiered cakes are so much funReply
Anon1
Tried the fork and it turned out amazing!
Reply
Marion Myers
This sounds absolutely scrumptious. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how easy it is to make with the cake mix. Thanks for the tips. The cake turned out perfectly!
Reply
Abeer Rizvi
Awww... thanks! Seriously, so easy and so good!
Reply
Ashley
Just what I was looking for, making this tomorrow. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Reply
Abeer Rizvi
Hope you like it as much as my family!
Reply
Liv
Delicious recipe thank you - it was good as a pudding too with custard!
Reply
Jan
I have seen this receipe using canned apple pie filling but can not locate it. It was using cake mix and the apple pie filling.
Would like suggestionsReply
Abeer Rizvi
You can use this chocolate cherry dump cake recipe and replace the chocolate cake mix with spice cake mix or yellow cake mix and replace cherry pie filling with apple pie filling: https://cakewhiz.com/chocolate-cherry-dump-cake/
Reply
marianita
Thank you so very much for sharing this apple recipe.
Reply
Pat Cichowicz
Can this cake be made ahead and frozen?
Reply
Abeer Rizvi
Yes. Just don't add the glaze until you are ready to serve.
Reply
Linda Graveen
This apple cake is AMAZING! I used my homegrown frozen apples - a gallon bag FULL and it was delicious! The 9x13 pan was full to the top. So moist. Next time I’m going to drizzle caramel ice cream topping over for caramel apple goodness. Oh and I used butter instead of oil for even more deliciousness.
Reply
Ginny Williams
I made this recipe using a gluten-free mix for yellow cake from Aldi. It was fantastic!! We served it for a brunch and it disappeared completely, no one knew it was GF except those I told
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Abeer Rizvi
That's awesome! Thanks for sharing your results with a gluten free mix.
Reply
Brenda Howard
I used this recipe making the homemade cake mix you gave using Bob's red mill 1to1gluten free baking flour. It turned out amazing! Could not tell it was gluten free at all. So moist and tender. Best apple cake ever!
Reply
Abeer Rizvi
That's just awesome!
Reply
Gail Samples
Delicious! I used a spice cake mix. This recipe is a keeper!
Reply
annie
Good, easy, moist. Didn't have any coconut, added a few chopped pecans, substituted greek yogurt instead of milk. It is plenty sweet enough without the glaze. Nice when warm with a little ice cream.
Reply
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