Chunky Apple Cake (Don’t miss the Cream Cheese Frosting!)

This amazing Fresh Apple Cake recipe from Southern Living is DIVINE! The cream cheese frosting is light and fluffy. Don't miss this one!

Chunky Apple Cake Recipe

I've posted this Southern Living Chunky Apple Cake recipe each fall since I first started blogging, and it's one of those recipes that no one should miss. (so I feel it's my duty to re-share!)  If you haven't tried it yet, add the ingredients to your grocery list this week, and enjoy. 🙂 

This easy apple cake is by far my favorite fall treat, and when my daughter and I made it several years ago she even made a cute little video to show the process.

I could make this cake all year long and never grow tired of it, but it just always sounds SO good in the fall and makes our home smell delicious!

Note – I'm not sure why on earth the video has those few extra spots for “titles” in it – they didn't show up when we were uploading it but apparently are in there somewhere – we were just learning when she made this one! 🙂 

When I first found the recipe YEARS ago I was teaching preschool “cooking and science” and my preschool classes made the cake. Our entire church smelled heavenly!

So, grab your apron and a few apples (you might love this apple peeler/corer too), and get baking.

Apple Cake Recipe Ingredients:

• Butter or Margarine
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla
• Flour
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Ground Cinnamon
• Granny Smith Apples
• Walnuts (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

• Cream Cheese
• Butter
• Powdered Sugar
• Vanilla
• Salt

 

You'll also need a large bowl for mixing all your ingredients and a 13 x 9 pan.  You'll also want an electric mixer for your cream cheese frosting (which is honestly the best part of this cake!).  Set aside a good 45 minutes for baking time for this dish (as well as some time for it to cool before frosting).

Southern Living re-printed this recipe in their October 2010 issue (along with a few variations), but I'm sticking with the original. 🙂

Print Recipe

Chunky Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

Ingredients For The Cake

• 1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine Melted
• 2 Cups Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 Cups All-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 4 Granny Smith Apples Peeled and Sliced
• 1 Cup Walnuts Chopped and Toasted (Completely Optional)

Ingredients For The Frosting

• 1 8 oz Cream Cheese Softened
• 3 Tbsp Butter or Margarine Softened
• 1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1/8 tsp Salt

Instructions

Directions For The Cake

• Stir together first 4 ingredients in large bowl until blended.
• Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture, stirring until blended.
• Stir in apple slices and 1 cup walnuts (if using). The batter will be very thick, almost like cookie dough.
• Spread into a well-greased 13- x 9-inch pan. (It's pretty sticky, so make sure to grease your pan well!)
• Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
• Spread with Cream Cheese Frosting; sprinkle with walnuts, if desired.

Directions For The Frosting

• Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
• Gradually add sugar and salt, beating until blended.
• Stir in vanilla.

You can top this with caramel, ice cream, whipped topping, extra walnuts – really the sky is the limit!  Let us know if you try it and how you liked it! 

Looking for more apple recipes? Here you go!

• 2 Ingredient Apple Chips
• Easy Apple Dumplings
• Apple Brownies with Brown Sugar Frosting
• Skillet Apple Pie
• 4 Ingredient Homemade Slow Cooker Applesauce
• Apple, Spinach Salad with Warm Vanilla Bean Dressing
• Homemade Apple Dumplin’ Muffins