This is one of my favorite apple recipes along with Easy Apple Dumplings, Caramel Apple Quesadillas, and Apple Crisp Coffee Cake.

I know it’s not quite fall yet, but I’m ready for it to be here. This past week I helped both my kids get moved into their apartments for the school year. My daughter in Charleston and my son in Atlanta. And now I’m ready for the seasons to begin to change and the fall baking to commence. (Note: Originally published August 17, 2017.)

German Apple Cake with cream cheese frosting

Apples, along with sweet potatoes and pumpkin are what fall baking is all about for me. I’ve never been a huge apple pie fan but I love apples in other types of desserts like Caramel Apple Pound Cake, Crockpot Butterscotch Apple Crisp, and Frisky Apple Fritters.

This German Apple Cake is everything you could want in a fall apple dessert. The cake batter, with lots of chunks of apple, cooks up super moist with just the right amount of spice flavoring. But undoubtedly the best part is the icing!!

How To Make German Apple Cake

(More detailed instructions in recipe card below.)

Prepare oven and pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
Add dry ingredients to wet and mix just until combined.
Fold in apples and pecans.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes.
Make frosting and spread on cooled cake.

Measure The Flour Correctly

When baking a cake, it is so important to measure the flour correctly or you risk having a dry cake. To measure, first fluff the flour up some in the bag or container. Flour tends to get packed down over time. Then use a large spoon to gently scoop it into a dry measuring cup. Overfill it slightly and use the back of a knife to run across the top and get rid of the excess.

Recipe Tip

This recipe would be equally delicious with walnuts instead of pecans.

Storage

Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

★★★★★
OMG 🥰 My Mom always baked with spices, so this was right up my alley 😉 I inhaled my first piece 👌My husband says 5 🤩

Type of Apples To Use

I recommend using a tart apple like Granny Smith for this recipe. The cake itself is very sweet and a tart apple will help cut the sweetness a little.