Spiced Apple Sheet Cake with Cinnamon-Vanilla Buttercream
Deliciously moist apple cake with warm spices, baked in a 9x13 pan and topped with cinnamon-vanilla buttercream to amplify all the flavors. The perfect cozy Fall cake for feeding a crowd!
Servings 24 slices
Equipment
Ingredients
Spiced Apple Sheet Cake
- 2 1/2 Cups (332g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 Cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 1/4 Cups (250g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 Cups (500g) unsweetened applesauce
Cinnamon-Vanilla Buttercream*
- 1 1/2 Cups (339g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 5 Cups (600g) powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp (45ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 1/4 tsp salt
Additional garnishes (optional)
- 8 apple slices
Instructions
Make the Spiced Apple Sheet Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF (163ºC). Prepare a 9×13 metal baking dish* by spraying the sides with baking spray and lining the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Whisk together and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer and a large bowl), beat the butter on high speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the brown and white sugars and continue to beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle as needed.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and add the vanilla and the egg. Turn the mixer to medium and beat for one full minute.
- Turn the mixer back to low speed and add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the applesauce, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. When it begins to come together after the last flour addition, turn off the mixer and give it a few stirs by hand to make sure everything is incorporated. The batter will be very thick.
- Add the batter into your prepared cake pan and smooth the top, then bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the baking pan until room temperature.
Make the Cinnamon-Vanilla Buttercream
- In a large bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Cream butter on med-high until light and creamy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle a few times in between.
- Add powdered sugar/cinnamon mixture a few cups at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle between intervals. Mix on medium until fully incorporated.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the vanilla, milk, and salt. Continue mixing on low speed until fully incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes.
Assembly
- Once the apple sheet cake has cooled completely, frost with the cinnamon-vanilla buttercream. To create the look pictured, use 2/3 of the buttercream to frost the cake surface with rustic texture. Add the remaining buttercream into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 4B and pipe a braided border around the edges. Garnish with sliced apples.
Notes
*Cinnamon-Vanilla Buttercream Amount: This recipe makes enough to frost the sheet cake and pipe a braided border around the edges. If you'd rather not do the braided border, here are the ingredient amounts to make less buttercream: 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, 3 1/2 Cups (420g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 Tablespoons whole milk, pinch of salt.
*9×13 Baking Dish: I used a metal pan for this sheet cake, but a ceramic or glass baking dish will work just fine if you add 10-15 minutes to the baking time.
Make Ahead Tips:
- The sheet cake can be made ahead and stored in the pan, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to two days. Alternatively, you can cover the cake tightly and store in the freezer for up to 2 months before thawing and frosting.
- The cinnamon-vanilla buttercream frosting can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency.