This apple butter cake is so perfect for fall! A sheet cake made with rich apple butter and grated honey apples is baked until soft and then drizzled with a brown butter glaze. Incredible!
It’s fall cake time!
This apple cake is incredible. It’s packed with spiced apple flavor, soft and fluffy, and drizzled with a brown butter glaze. The perfect fall after school or weekend treat that everyone can enjoy!
We LOVE apple butter in this house. Especially Eddie. One of his favorite things is to get a huge jar of apple butter and have it on toast every night before bed. It’s so satisfying, sweet and spicy—and it tastes like fall. i love US spoon of apple butter, but Eddie doesn’t discriminate. Will pick up any variety at the grocery store!
So I was beyond excited when I found a recipe for apple butter cake! See, I love using pumpkin butter because it has such a jammy flavor in a thickened, savory little mixture. I like to use pumpkin butter cookies and even oatmeal, and I really like how it brings out the best spicy flavor in treats without making them super “cakey”. Apple butter is the same!
This may sound crazy because this is a cake after all. But apple butter has a more concentrated and rich flavor. It works wonders in a pie, especially when compared to applesauce. Sure, applesauce is great and adds a lot of moisture to baked goods, but it rarely delivers tons of fall flavor with apples.
That’s why apple butter is here to save the day!
This pie also uses grated apple and of course I love honey apples. Is there anything that screams more than honey crisps? I think not. Growing up, I waited for the day they would be available in the grocery store. Now my kids love them too and they are so sweet, slightly sour and refreshing.
I grate the whole honeydew and throw it directly into the dough. The dough is easy! Butter, brown sugar, eggs, apple butter and then the classic dry ingredients.
It takes about 40 minutes to bake and let me tell you, your house will smell AMAZING. No need for fall candles with this cake in the oven. It will do all the work for you.
There are several ways to decorate this cake. A simple dusting of powdered sugar works, but I also like to make a brown butter frosting to drizzle on top. Mainly because I can never say no to brown butter.
Who can?
It’s as simple as it sounds. I cook butter, then mix it with powdered sugar and it almost tastes like caramel. Then drizzle the cake with the frosting. Feel free to spread the word too – whatever works!
It’s also a delicious cake to make if you go apple picking! Of course, you can also always make your own apple butter.
Such a good feeling with coffee or tea.
Apple cake with butter
Apple cake with butter
This apple butter cake is so perfect for fall! A sheet cake made with rich apple butter and grated honey apples is baked until soft and then drizzled with a brown butter glaze. Incredible!
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
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Beat the melted butter and brown sugar in a bowl. Beat in the apple butter. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
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Grate one of the honey apples. Mix into the dough. Pour the batter into the baking dish.
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Thinly slice the remaining honey apple and remove the seeds. Place it on top of the dough.
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Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Remove the cake and let it cool slightly. Sprinkle it with powdered sugar. And/or drizzle with brown butter frosting.
brown butter frosting
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Place the butter in a pan over medium heat. Cook and let the mixture bubble, stirring occasionally, until brown bits start to appear on the bottom. Once brown bits appear, turn off the heat and continue to stir for about 30 seconds. Let the butter cool slightly.
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Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla extract. If you want a smooth frosting, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time and beat until smooth and pourable. Drizzle or spread on the cake!
Apple season reigns supreme.