The Baker Chick

Baking up a delicious life.

Apple Cinnamon Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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I don’t care that it’s 80s and humid out- I’m ready for fall. I am dreaming of it nearly every day! I crave football season, and crunchy leaves, and pumpkin patches and apple cider. I couldn’t be more excited for boots and sweaters and that crisp feeling in the air. I’m over you summer! Sorry!!

Andy loves summer and I feel bad wishing for fall because before we know it dreary winter will be upon us and I’ll be at the other end of this vicious cycle. To be honest though- winter means holidays and then the New Year and then BABY so I’m pretty excited for all of it. What I’m not excited for is that sweaty, sticky, humid feeling I get every time I walk outside…so there’s that!

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To anticipate the season that I so love, I decided to bring out the apples. I just couldn’t wait! (I am going to wait a couple weeks on the pumpkin but I can’t promise that.) I wanted to make a simple, easy cake that was no fuss and easy to transport. I had a vision of juicy cinnamon apple chunks, a moist and tender cake,  with a creamy frosting on top. This recipe is easy to throw together, even easier to frost thanks to the whole sheet thing, and oh so good. I made it for my book club and every single of the the ladies had seconds. (including me!!)

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Apple Cinnamon Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: 20-25 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 2-3 tart apples (like Granny Smith) peeled and cut into small pieces (about 3 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon of butter
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (12.75 oz.)
  • 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1⅓ cups vegetable oil (I used coconut oil but any kind will do.)
  • ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat over to 350F. Prep a quarter sheet pan* by spraying with cooking spray and dusting with flour. Set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the apples, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of white sugar. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until the apples are well coated and slightly soft.
  3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the oil, sugars and eggs. Beat for 3 minutes or until the mixture is fluffy and light. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients while mixing on low speed until just combined. Fold in the apples.
  6. Transfer batter to the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  7. Cool completely before frosting.
For Frosting
  1. Cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time until creamy. Add the vanilla extract.
  2. Frost cake right in the pan and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Bring cake to room temp again before serving.)
Notes
* If you don't have a quarter sheet pan you can use a normal 9x13 lasagna-type baking dish!

Cake recipe adapted from: Martha Stewart

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Comments

  4. Ahhhh I can’t wait for fall either!! It’s just too hot and sticky, although I feel for you as I’m not pregnant! I know what you mean about not wishing away Summer and getting into Winter, but I am definitely ready for some comforting flavours and cooler days’nights! Just love apple and cinnamon together, never tried it with cream cheese frosting though, but I bet it’s delicious!

    Reply

  7. I’m with you on being ready for fall! This past weekend, I made apple butter muffins just to have a little taste of the season and I can’t stop thinking about all things pumpkin. I did hear a rumor that the fall beverages are starting at Starbucks next week, so it’s almost here!

    Reply

  9. Oh, I’m so excited for fall — and this would be the perfect treat to kick it all off! Apple and cinnamon — would could be better? And rumor has it that my local Starbucks is already making my beloved pumpkin spice latte . . . I’m allllll over that mess!

    Reply

  13. I am SO over summer and Los Angeles just decided “hey, let’s have another summer” and I am so not on board. Fall is my favorite. Being hot is my least. There’s nothing attractive about summer unless you are on vacation with a house right on top of the ocean. Boob sweat? Give me a break!

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  16. I couldn’t be more excited about Fall, too! Especially since it brings along bunches of apple cakes and pumpkin pies…this one looks easy to put together but I like that there’s a little switch on the classic apple cake thanks to the cheese frosting and the pinch of cinnamon. I’m sure this burst with fall-flavor!

    xo, Elisa

    Reply

  17. Not trying to be arguementative–but a quart sheet pan measures 9×13 per King Arthur Flour website and you said if you use a 9×13 pan your cake would be thicker. A half sheet cake pan is 13×18. Are you sure this isn’t a half sheet pan? I just want to be sure of the correct size pan, so it doesn’t run over in my oven.
    It does look yummy.

    Reply

    • It’s definitely a quarter sheet pan. It does seem like the cake wouldn’t be too much thicker in a lasagna pan (though I realize the one I have is 9×12 not 9×13!)- I’ll correct that. For some reason- due to the rounded edges- my cakes always come out a bit thinner in my quarter sheet pan! Thanks for pointing out my mistake!

      Reply

  20. Yum! Or Omnomnom! But not today, it’s 97 in Chicago. College football starts tomorrow, and a pan of these will definitely be on the menu in the next few weeks! Speaking of your book club….. I’ve read most of your selections and have enjoyed them all. Anythng new to recommend?

    Reply

  26. This looks so good!! :) In Ireland people only ever make apple tarts (read pies!) or crumbles (aka cobblers!) This looks amazing though, I will definitely try it out soon! My grandmother has a small orchard and we have bags of apples so they’ll be put to good use! Thanks so much for sharing Audra! :)

    Reply

  30. I adjusted this for high altitude (7,000 ft) by adding 1/2 a jumbo egg and few more Tbsp of flour a tad less sugar and soda and it came out great!! Now I just have to figure out the lucky recipient otherwise I’ll eat it all!!! Yummy desserts usually get cut into one biters for each of my twins classes – I have to say they usually get excited when they see me coming and it makes me feel like a hero. ;). Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  31. I make it with olive oil and later when serving I drizzle it with very fine olive oil on a serving plate. Sounds weird, but it’s perfect together. I strongly recommend it :D

    Reply

  32. I just found this on Pinterest & had a couple Granny Smiths on hand so I had whip it up. (And then I had to run to the store for cream cheese!). Well worth the trip in the rain – it is DELICIOUS!!! I can’t wait to try more if your recipes!

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  34. ok so here is the thing. my friend runs a cafe. her husband asked me to bake her a cake and I made this. bt the pressure was on as he said he wanted to give a piece to all our customers ..I served around 40 pieces and not on came back. huge success! thank u so much

    Reply

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