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Home / Recipes / Dessert / Cake / Apple Snack Cake

Apple Snack Cake

40 minutes mins
| 31 Comments |
4.75 from 4 votes
Jump to Recipe 11/12/15 | Updated: 01/16/24 | by Nora

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!

slice of apple snack cake with maple frosting

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.
These glazed apple cake bars are the perfect fall treat. And in less than an hour, you'll have one of these delicious healthy treats in your hands!

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.

These glazed apple cake bars are full of cinnamon flavors, great for fall! They're really easy to make, and are so healthy with whole wheat flour and fresh apples!

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!


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PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.

Printable recipe

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slice of apple snack cake with maple frosting
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Apple Snack Cake

This apple snack cake is a healthier way to enjoy the popular fall flavor of cinnamon apples. An easy to make cross between cake-like breakfast bars and coffee cake.
Recipe by Nora from Savory Nothings
made it? tap the stars to add your rating!
4.75 from 4 votes
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Recipe details

Prep 20 minutes mins
Cook 20 minutes mins
Total 40 minutes mins
Servings 12 slices
Difficulty Easy

Ingredients
 

  • 1 medium apple
  • 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
  • ½ tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon flour
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon pecans roughly chopped

For the Glaze

  • ½ 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 ½ 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 ⅔ 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.

Notes

To freeze:
Do not glaze the bars if you want to freeze them.
Cut the cake into bars and place them into freezer-friendly storage containers. You can put parchment paper between the bars if you want to remove them individually.
Alternatively, place single bars into small freezer bags.
Make sure to label the containers or freezer bags with both their content and the date!
Freeze the bars for up to a month.
Thaw the bars 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 227kcal
Nutrition is an estimate.

More recipe information

Suitable for: Vegetarian
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nora Rusev from Savory Nothings
About Nora 
When I got married to my professional chef husband, I realized I had to step up my game in the kitchen. Now I share my favorite foolproof family recipes here on Savory Nothings: Chef-approved, kid-vetted and easy enough for everyday home cooks like you and me!   Learn more.

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4.75 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Comments

  1. Judy says

    Oct 22, 2023

    such an easy recipe, and really tasty! thank you for another great recipe!

    Reply
  2. Melody says

    Jan 28, 2018

    4 stars
    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. 🙂

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Jan 30, 2018

      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

      Reply
  3. Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat. says

    Nov 23, 2015

    Apple bars are one of my favourite things for a breakfast treat. These ones look amazing! Love that glaze!

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 23, 2015

      Thank you Stacey!

      Reply
  4. Izzy says

    Nov 23, 2015

    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 🙂

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 23, 2015

      Thank you so much, Izzy!

      Reply
  5. Annie says

    Nov 20, 2015

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 22, 2015

      Happy mistakes – I like that 🙂 Thank you so much, Annie!

      Reply
  6. Denise @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

    Nov 18, 2015

    I am constantly out of cinnamon, too! Love the looks of these, Nora…especially if I get to eat them for breakfast!

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 18, 2015

      So glad I’m not the only one 😉 Thank you so much, Denise!

      Reply
  7. Bethany @ Athletic Avocado says

    Nov 15, 2015

    Because cake for breakfast is always a good idea, especially when its healthified! 🙂

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 17, 2015

      Exactly 😀

      Reply
  8. Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says

    Nov 14, 2015

    5 stars
    Well these look absolutely perfect!

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 17, 2015

      Aww thank you, love!

      Reply
  9. traci | vanilla and bean says

    Nov 14, 2015

    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!

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 17, 2015

      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!

      Reply
  10. Sherri@The Well Floured Kitchen says

    Nov 13, 2015

    Cinnamon is the best! This cake looks perfect- sometimes mistakes turn out to be better than the original idea 🙂

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 17, 2015

      So true 🙂 Thank you so much, Sherri!

      Reply
  11. marcie says

    Nov 13, 2015

    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! 🙂

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 13, 2015

      Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Marcie!

      Reply
  12. Kristine @ Kristine’s Kitchen says

    Nov 12, 2015

    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!

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 13, 2015

      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!

      Reply
  13. Ashley | The Recipe Rebel says

    Nov 12, 2015

    You can totally eat healthier cake for breakfast, right?? I mean, there are apples…. 🙂 I wouldn’t call this a mishap at all!

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 12, 2015

      Exactly, fruit justifies any kind of food as breakfast-appropriate 🙂 Thank you so much, Ashley!

      Reply
  14. Rachel @ Bakerita says

    Nov 12, 2015

    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.

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 12, 2015

      Of course, totally healthy so you can eat an entire batch by yourself 😉 Thank you, Rachel!

      Reply
  15. Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice says

    Nov 12, 2015

    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!

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 12, 2015

      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!

      Reply
  16. Sarah @Whole and Heavenly Oven says

    Nov 12, 2015

    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. 😀

    Reply
    • Nora says

      Nov 12, 2015

      Awww Sarah, thank you so much for the sweetest comment ever!

      Reply

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Nora Rusev from Savory Nothings

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Hi, I'm Nora! I wasn't always a good cook, but then I fell in love with a professional chef and learned my way around the kitchen. Now I share all my secrets to effortlessly great food here on my blog, bite-sized for home cooks just like me and you.

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