APPLE SPICE CAKE WITH SPICED CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Super moist Maple Apple Spice Cake infused with sweet maple syrup, bursting with Fall spices, walnuts (optional) and smothered in silky cream cheese frosting. Everyone loves this cake.

This cake is irresistible warm, right out of the oven, frosting-less (seriously, grab your fork!) and irresistible dressed up with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting and a sprinkling of walnuts.

What makes this cake so extra special is that I replaced half of the sugar with pure maple syrup and a couple splashes of molasses, so along with the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice, this cake is oozing with flavor (just try to resist the batter!). Add in the sweeetly tart Granny Smith apples and the crunchy walnuts, smother with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting also infused with maple syrup, and you have an unbelievably moist, Fall apple cake lover’s dream OR any dessert lover’s dream.

this super moist Maple Apple Spice Cake is a favorite at our house. In fact, I told Patrick he could have a “little” because I hadn’t taken pictures yet, and I came back to the whole right side of the cake devoured — you can kind of see the jagged edge on the picture below. I totally understand, Patrick. I totally understand.

INGREDIENTS

Maple Apple Spice Cake

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp EACH ground cloves, ground ginger, ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1 cup full fat sour cream
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, and diced into 1/4” – 1/2” pieces
• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• dash of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon reserved Spices (in directions)
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper that extends beyond the pan and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Mix cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Remove 1/2 teaspoon for the frosting. To the large bowl, mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. With a stand or hand mixer, beat butter and sugar over medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. With mixer running on medium speed, beat in maple syrup, molasses and vanilla until well combined followed by eggs, then egg yolks, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each egg.
4. Gradually add flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture in thirds, alternately with sour cream in between each third, beating until just combined after each addition. Stir in apples and walnuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F until a wood pick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean, 34 – 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours before frosting OR serve warm directly right out of the oven without frosting.
6. Maple Frosting: Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and reserved 1/2 teaspoon spices at medium high speed until well combined. Add confectioners’ sugar 1/2 cup at a time then beat until very fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add either more maple syrup if frosting is too thick or more sugar if too thin to reach desired consistency. Evenly spread frosting over cake and sprinkle with chopped walnuts (optional).
7. Refrigerate cake for up to 5 days and bring to room temperature before serving.