Apple Cake with Cake Mix is a simple, dependable dessert that turns a boxed yellow cake mix into a moist, cinnamon-scented apple cake with very little prep. Tart Granny Smith apples add fresh flavor and tender bites throughout, while vanilla rounds out the sweetness.
This is the kind of cake worth keeping in your back pocket when you want a homemade-tasting dessert without measuring a long list of baking ingredients. The cake mix handles the basic structure, so you can focus on adding apples, cinnamon, and vanilla for a warm, comforting flavor.
Granny Smith apples work especially well because their tartness balances the sweetness of the cake batter. Cutting them into small cubes also helps distribute the fruit throughout the cake rather than leaving large, heavy pieces that can sink.
A tube pan gives the cake plenty of surface area to bake evenly, and allowing it to cool completely before removing it from the pan helps protect its soft crumb. The result is an uncomplicated apple dessert that works for family dinners, casual gatherings, or an afternoon treat with coffee.
Apple Cake with Cake Mix Ingredients
Yellow cake mix: One 18.25-ounce box forms the convenient base of the cake and provides the flour, sugar, and leavening needed for consistent results.
Granny Smith apples: Two peeled and cored apples cut into roughly ½-inch cubes bring tart flavor, moisture, and tender pieces of fruit to every slice.
Ground cinnamon: One tablespoon gives the cake its warm apple-and-spice flavor without requiring a complicated spice blend.
Vanilla extract: One teaspoon deepens the flavor of the prepared cake batter and complements both the apples and cinnamon.
Eggs, water, and oil: Use the amounts listed on your specific yellow cake mix package. These ingredients provide the moisture, richness, and structure needed for the boxed mix to bake properly.
Cooking Steps
STEP 1: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Thoroughly grease a 10-inch tube pan, paying particular attention to the center tube and any corners where the baked cake could stick.
STEP 2: Peel and core the Granny Smith apples. Cut them into approximately ½-inch cubes so the pieces are small enough to soften during baking while remaining noticeable in the finished cake.
STEP 3: Prepare the yellow cake mix in a large mixing bowl according to its package directions. Add the required eggs, water, and oil, then mix just until you have a smooth, evenly combined batter.
STEP 4: Stir the cinnamon and vanilla into the prepared batter. Mix only long enough to distribute them throughout the cake so you do not unnecessarily overwork the batter.
STEP 5: Add the diced apples and gently fold them into the mixture with a spatula. Turn the batter from the bottom of the bowl upward until the fruit looks evenly distributed.
STEP 6: Spoon or pour the apple cake batter into the greased tube pan. Spread the top into an even layer so the cake rises and bakes as uniformly as possible.
STEP 7: Bake for about 40 minutes. Start checking near the end of the baking time by inserting a toothpick near the center of the cake. It should come out clean or with only a few moist crumbs rather than streaks of uncooked batter.
STEP 8: Remove the pan from the oven and let the cake cool completely before attempting to unmold it. Once cooled, carefully loosen any areas that are sticking and turn the cake out for slicing and serving.
Helpful Tips
- Keep the apple pieces fairly small. Roughly ½-inch cubes soften nicely during the baking time and are easier to distribute evenly through the batter.
- Avoid excessive mixing. Once the apples are added, fold them in gently. Overmixing is unnecessary and can make the finished cake less tender.
- Do not rush the cooling step. A warm fruit-filled cake is more delicate than a completely cooled one, so leaving it in the pan until cool makes clean removal much easier.
Can I use a different type of apple?
Yes. Granny Smith apples are particularly useful because their tart flavor contrasts with the sweet yellow cake, but another firm baking apple can work. Choose an apple that holds its shape reasonably well when heated rather than one that quickly turns soft or watery.
Do I need to peel the apples first?
Peeling is recommended for this cake. Since the apples are diced into small pieces and baked directly into a soft cake batter, removing the peel gives the finished slices a more uniform, tender texture. It also helps the apple pieces blend more naturally into the crumb.
Serving Ideas for Apple Cake with Cake Mix
This apple cake is flavorful enough to serve on its own, particularly once it has cooled and the cinnamon and vanilla flavors have settled into the crumb.
For a simple dessert, serve a slice alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cold, creamy ice cream contrasts nicely with the cinnamon-spiced apple cake.
You can also pair it with lightly whipped cream for something less rich. If you are serving the cake in the afternoon, coffee or hot tea makes another natural pairing, especially when the weather turns cooler.
Why did my apple cake stick to the tube pan?
Fruit cakes can be especially prone to sticking because moisture and sugars collect around the edges as they bake. Grease the entire tube pan carefully before adding the batter, including around the center column. Cooling the cake completely before unmolding also gives the crumb time to firm up.
Can I prepare the apples ahead of time?
You can peel and cut them shortly before preparing the batter, but there is little advantage to doing it far in advance. Freshly diced apples may begin to discolor while sitting. Because preparing two apples only takes a few minutes, it is simplest to cut them while the oven is preheating.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh
Once the cake has completely cooled, keep it covered well to prevent the exposed crumb from drying out. Because the apples add plenty of moisture, the cake generally maintains a soft texture better than a plain boxed cake.
For short-term storage, place the cake in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to about 4 days. You can refrigerate the entire cake or cut it into individual slices first for convenient serving.
For longer storage, wrap individual cooled slices tightly and place them in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to about 2 months. Individual portions are useful because you can thaw only what you plan to eat instead of repeatedly exposing the whole cake to temperature changes.
To serve refrigerated cake, let a slice sit briefly at room temperature if you prefer a softer texture. Frozen portions can be thawed in the refrigerator or at room temperature until completely defrosted.
If you enjoy apple cake slightly warm, heat an individual slice gently in the microwave for a few seconds. Avoid overheating it, since too much heat can dry the crumb and make the fruit unusually hot.
How do I know when the cake is fully baked?
The approximate baking time is 40 minutes at 350°F, but ovens and cake-mix formulas can vary slightly. Insert a toothpick near the center without aiming directly through an apple piece. When it comes out clean or with a few tender crumbs, the cake is ready.
The top should also look set rather than wet or glossy. If the toothpick has obvious uncooked batter on it, continue baking for a few more minutes and test again. Allowing the cake to bake completely is important because the diced apples introduce additional moisture into the batter.
Apple Cake with Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 box 18.25 ounces yellow cake mix, such as Duncan Hines
- Eggs water, and oil in the quantities specified on the cake-mix package
Instructions
- Peel and core the Granny Smith apples, then cut them into approximately ½-inch pieces. Set the diced apples aside until the batter is ready.
- Set the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 10-inch tube pan thoroughly.
- In a large mixing bowl, make the yellow cake mix according to the package directions for a 10-inch tube pan, using the specified amounts of eggs, water, and oil.
- Stir the ground cinnamon and vanilla extract into the prepared batter until they are evenly distributed.
- Gently fold the diced Granny Smith apples into the batter, mixing only until the fruit is evenly dispersed.
- Transfer the finished batter to the prepared 10-inch tube pan and spread it evenly.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool in the pan. Allow it to become completely cool before unmolding to reduce the chance of breaking and help preserve its tender crumb.