This apple snack cake is perfect if you’re looking for a delicious fall breakfast or snack recipe. Simple to make and served with a yummy glaze, this is a great fall treat!
I have always loved apple cinnamon flavors. In my Apple Cinnamon Muffins, in my Cinnamon Apple Baked Oatmeal or in my Brown Sugar Cinnamon Apples… In everything I bake during the fall! So naturally, cinnamon is the one spice that needs to be replaced most often in my cupboard.
Here I’m using it in an easy homemade cake batter, studded with fresh cinnamon apple pieces, then topped with pecans. This cake is best iced or glazed like coffee cake, but I also really like to serve it with Greek yogurt for breakfast!
Recipe tips and tricks
- If you’d rather use white flour, feel free to do so. Add 1 extra tablespoon of flour to the cake or the cake batter comes out too thin.
- Feel free to add cinnamon baking chips to your apple snack cake batter – so good!
- Don’t worry about browning the butter if you’re short on time. The apple cake still tastes delicious with just plain melted butter.
Freezer instructions
Do not glaze the cake if you want to freeze it.
Cut the cake into bars and place into freezer-friendly storage containers. You can put parchment paper between the slices if you want to remove them individually. Alternatively, place single slices into small freezer bags.
Make sure to label the containers or freezer bags with both their content and the date, then freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw the frozen apple cake in the fridge overnight. If you’d like to warm them up, do so in the microwave or for about 5 minutes at 300°F in the oven.
By the way, glaze is completely optional and the apple cake is lovely without it. But it does make it feel extra-special, especially if you serve it at a leisurely weekend family brunch. Enjoy!
More fall baking
PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Sign up for my email list, too!
Apple Snack Cake
Recipe details
Ingredients
- 1 medium apple
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon flour
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pecans roughly chopped
For the Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons apple juice or more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 7×11 inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang.
- Peel and finely dice the apple. Melt 1 teaspoon butter over medium heat in a small skillet. Add the apple and cook for one minute, tossing to coat with the butter. Sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon flour and cook for another 2 minutes, carefully mixing until combined. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium pot, melt 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Continue warming until the butter turns golden brown in color and starts smelling of hazelnuts. Whisk in 2/3 cup brown sugar and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- Once the mix has cooled to room temperature, whisk in the oil, vanilla extract and the eggs. Evenly sprinkle the whole wheat flour on top, then the baking powder and salt. Carefully mix into the egg mixture until a batter forms. Fold in the apples.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and sprinkle the top with chopped pecans.
- Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until they turn golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack before slicing into 12 squares.
To Make the Glaze
- Sift the powdered sugar into a small bowl. Gradually stir in the apple juice, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the consistency of a thick glaze. It should be pourable, but not liquid. Drizzle over the cooled cake bars.
Melody says
Delicious whole wheat recipe! Thank you! I made some slight modifications… didn’t add the oil, tripled the apples, only added 1/2 the vanilla and baked in an 8×8 for 28 minutes. They were good, no glaze added! Next time I think I will decrease the butter by 1-2 tablespoons and I will decrease the 2/3 cups of brown sugar by 1/4 cup. I have to admit I was skeptical when I started adding the eggs to the sugar/butter mixture thinking these would be too dense or flat but they were good. 🙂
Nora says
Great suggestions for modifications, Melody! I know, it’s a strange way to make the batter – but it works surprisingly well! Thanks for taking the time to leave your review – I appreciate it. – Nora x
Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat. says
Apple bars are one of my favourite things for a breakfast treat. These ones look amazing! Love that glaze!
Nora says
Thank you Stacey!
Izzy says
Ok, these sound and look amazing! I bet they are so soft and just melt in your mouth! I’m thinking these would be so nice to have around for breakfast this season 🙂
Nora says
Thank you so much, Izzy!
Annie says
I love when “happy mistakes” happen! Some of my favorite go to dinners began as happy mistakes! These look amazing and I bet they smelled lovely while they were baking!
Nora says
Happy mistakes – I like that 🙂 Thank you so much, Annie!
Denise @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
I am constantly out of cinnamon, too! Love the looks of these, Nora…especially if I get to eat them for breakfast!
Nora says
So glad I’m not the only one 😉 Thank you so much, Denise!
Bethany @ Athletic Avocado says
Because cake for breakfast is always a good idea, especially when its healthified! 🙂
Nora says
Exactly 😀
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
Well these look absolutely perfect!
Nora says
Aww thank you, love!
traci | vanilla and bean says
Absolutely, the glaze must be part of these mouthwatering bars! I’ve not tried an apple juice glaze – but LOVE the idea! Bars are one of my favorite things to make – as far as sweets go. They are quick to pull together and taste out of this world. Packing these with whole wheat and added pecans… just what I love! Thank you my dear!
Nora says
Bars are one of my favorite sweet things to make as well, exactly because they come together in a snap! Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Traci!
Sherri@The Well Floured Kitchen says
Cinnamon is the best! This cake looks perfect- sometimes mistakes turn out to be better than the original idea 🙂
Nora says
So true 🙂 Thank you so much, Sherri!
marcie says
I can almost smell these through the screen! I love everything about them, especially the “healthier” part and I would totally eat these for breakfast! 🙂
Nora says
Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Marcie!
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen says
I always buy the extra large jar of cinnamon because we use so much of it in my house! I love that these apple bars are healthier, so I don’t have to stop at just one!
Nora says
I have started buying organic cinnamon, which I’ve only found in tiny (and expensive!!) bags so far. I need to look out for a big jar! We definitely didn’t stop at just one bar… Oops 🙂 Thanks Kristine!
Ashley | The Recipe Rebel says
You can totally eat healthier cake for breakfast, right?? I mean, there are apples…. 🙂 I wouldn’t call this a mishap at all!
Nora says
Exactly, fruit justifies any kind of food as breakfast-appropriate 🙂 Thank you so much, Ashley!
Rachel @ Bakerita says
These are amazing!! I love how thick and cakey they look…and whole wheat! So they’re pretty much healthy 🙂 I’m with you on the cinnamon. I’ve been putting it in anything and everything lately! It’s the best.
Nora says
Of course, totally healthy so you can eat an entire batch by yourself 😉 Thank you, Rachel!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Cinnamon is my favorite spice to bake with…if I could figure out more ways to add it to savory dishes, I would! This apple bars sound delicious, Nora! I love the apple cinnamon flavor and the fact that they’re on the lighter side. Just perfect!
Nora says
I often try to add cinnamon to savoury dishes, but so far none of them has turned out quite right! I think it just prefers to be paired with apples 😉 Thank you so much, Gayle!
Sarah @Whole and Heavenly Oven says
Oh my gooooosh! These seriously look like the softest, most melt-in-your-mouth apple bars ever! I’m pretty much in awe of the fact that they’re whole wheat, but I’m not gonna question it! Just face-shovel these beauties as fast as humanely possible. 😉 And that glaze = perfeeeeection. 😀
Nora says
Awww Sarah, thank you so much for the sweetest comment ever!