• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Email Series!

5 Time and Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

Free email series of my best tips!

Visit my other Site: Pancake Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Free Email Series!

    5 Time and Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

    Free email series of my best tips!

  • Visit my other Site: Pancake Recipes

Rachel Cooks®

Easy Healthy-ish Recipes

  • Recipe Index
  • Popular
    • Instant Pot Pinto Beans
    • Green Beans with Bacon
    • Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
    • Roasted Sugar Snap Peas
    • Beef Stew Seasoning
    • Chili Seasoning Recipe
    • Thousand Island Dressing
    • Poppy Seed Dressing
    • Copycat Panera Squash Soup
    • Chocolate Chip Blondies
    • Instant Pot Pork Loin Roast
    • Frosé
    • Best Chocolate Cake
    • Dill Vegetable Dip
    • Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
    • Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Learn to Cook
    • All The Basics
    • Crostini
    • Delicata Squash
    • Butternut Squash
    • Kabocha Squash
    • Spaghetti Squash
    • Guacamole
    • Croutons
    • Snap Peas
    • Baked Potatoes
    • Baked Bacon
    • Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
    • Simple Syrup
    • Pickled Red Onions Recipe
    • Toasted Pine Nuts
    • Roasted bone-in Chicken Breasts
    • Poached Chicken
    • Roasted Whole Chicken
    • Easy Cheese Sauce

Dinner Made Easy:

Slow Cooker

5 Ingredients

Grilling

Make Ahead

Sheet Pan

Tacos

Pizza

Home Recipes by Type Desserts Cakes & Cupcakes

Apple Spice Cake with Bourbon Glaze

5
/5
55 mins
Leave a comment
Jump to Recipe
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 11/04/2020Updated: 06/16/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Overhead view of cake squares. Text overlay reads "apple spice cake with whiskey glaze, rachelcooks.com"
Overhead view of cake in white pan. Text overlay reads "whiskey glazed apple spice cake, rachelcooks.com"
Overhead view of cake squares. Text overlay reads "apple spice cake with whiskey glaze, rachelcooks.com"
Apple cake with glaze on white plates.

Full of sweet shredded apples and warm cinnamon, apple spice cake is perfect for dessert or brunch. The bourbon glaze is optional but you won’t want to miss it!

Overhead view of apple cake on plates.

Apple spice cake with bourbon glaze sounds kinda fancy but it really isn’t a fussy cake. More like a coffee cake, it would definitely be at home on a brunch table. With the somewhat decadent bourbon glaze added, this apple spice cake won’t blush at a fancy dinner, either. 

Know how to drive your family crazy? Whip up this apple spice cake, put it in the oven, let the warm baked apple cinnamon scents waft all through the house, and then tell them, oh by the way, you’re saving the cake for book club tonight. The expressions on their faces will probably goad you into making another cake just for them.

Close up view of a cake with shiny brown glaze on it.

About this apple spice cake:

I’ve made this apple cake just a bit healthier in true Rachel Cooks fashion, with part whole wheat flour, yogurt replacing some of the butter, and sweetened more by apples than a lot of sugar. If you’re going to eat dessert, why not make it just a little healthier, right? 

It’s a smaller sized cake. I use a 10 x 7 inch pan. What else will you need? An oven, and an electric mixer. Use a box grater (like you would use for shredding cheese) to grate the apples, using the side with larger holes.

Mix it all together (you can do it all in one bowl), pop it into the oven for 35-40 minutes, and it’s ready to serve.

Serve it simply, with a light dusting of powdered sugar, a spoonful of whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Smother it in cream cheese frosting (don’t you just love cream cheese frosting?) or dress it up with the bourbon glaze.

Slice of spiced apple cake on a white plate, more cake in background.

What’s in apple spice cake?

  • Apples! I like to use Honeycrisp or Gala but use whatever apple you like. Since the apples are grated, you won’t find large chunks of apple in the cake. The apple is evenly distributed throughout the cake.
  • Apple pie spice, a warm blend of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice
  • Flour, both regular and whole wheat
  • Yogurt
  • Butter
  • Pure vanilla extract
  • Eggs
  • Sugar
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt

A white baking dish on a wooden background with a baked cake in it.

How to make this spiced apple cake your own:

  • Top it! One of the ways to make this cake your own is by how you top it: powdered sugar, whipped cream, ice cream, cream cheese frosting, brown sugar frosting (add toasted pecans if you like!), or the bourbon glaze. A simple powdered sugar glaze would be good, too.
  • Grated/shredded apple vs. apple chunks. It’s up to you — if you’d like to see nice chunks of apple in the cake, go for it! It’s entirely up to you. 
  • Try replacing all of the flour with white whole wheat flour. The cake will have a heavier texture but will still be delicious.
  • Replace the apple pie spice with all cinnamon.

Cake slice on a plate with coffee and cake in the background.

Make ahead and storage tips

You can easily make this cake a day ahead because it’s so moist. When the cake is entirely cool, cover it tightly with foil or plastic wrap. If you frost it with cream cheese frosting, it should go in the fridge.

Overhead image of glazed cake.

An apple a day!

Apples are welcome in sweet desserts, on the breakfast table, or in savory recipes. I love grilled pork and apple kebobs! For more apple goodness, try:

 

  • Sausage Pinwheels with Apple, Sage, and Gruyère
  • Easy Apple Compote with Cinnamon for pancakes, yogurt bowls, or ice cream, and much more
  • Cranberry Sauce with Roasted Grapes, Apples, and Shallots
  • Instant Pot Applesauce Recipe — homemade applesauce is the best!
  • Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage and Apples
  • Apple Crisp with Ginger
  • Easy Cinnamon Apple Cranberry Sauce
  • Kale Salad with Apples and Golden Raisins
  • Healthy Apple Muffins
  • Apple Blueberry Crisp

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Overhead view of apple cake on plates.
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Apple Spice Cake with Bourbon Glaze

5 from 4 votes
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 55 mins
8 servings
Print Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Full of sweet shredded apples and warm cinnamon, apple spice cake is perfect for dessert or brunch. The bourbon glaze is optional but you won't want to miss it!

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons apple pie spice (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup whole milk plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (one stick), melted
  • 1 1/2 cups grated apples, such as Gala or Honeycrisp

Glaze, optional

  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon whiskey

Instructions

Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 10 x 7 inch cake pan by spraying with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In medium bowl, beat eggs and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add yogurt and vanilla; beat to combine. Gradually beat in melted butter until well combined.
  • On top of mixture in bowl, add all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, spice, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix dry ingredients lightly with your fingertips. With mixer, mix just until well-blended and smooth. Do not overmix.
  • Fold grated apple into the batter. Spread the batter in prepared pan. Smooth top.
  • Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 
  • Cool cake on wire rack for at least 30 minutes before glazing.

Glaze:

  • For glaze, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and whiskey, stirring, until the sugar melts and glaze thickens slightly, 4-5 minutes. 
  • Drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Notes

  • If preferred, omit glaze and serve cake with a simple powdered sugar glaze, whipped cream or ice cream. You could also frost the cake with cream cheese frosting or brown sugar frosting.
  • If you don't have apple pie spice, substitute: 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and a pinch of allspice.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 419kcal, Carbohydrates: 58g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 91mg, Sodium: 318mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 35g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk

Shop this post

Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set
STAUB Baking Dish Set, Matte Black
Box Grater
Did You Make This?Be sure to upload a photo & tag me at @RachelCooksBlog. I love seeing what you made!
Share A Photo! Tag on Insta Rate It
Holiday Quick-Start Guide

Get my Holiday

Quick-Start Guide!

Free email series of my best tips!

FREE BONUS!

You May Also Like...

  • Three stacked pancakes on white plate, topped with yogurt and cinnamon.
    Whole Grain Apple Spice Pancakes
  • 100+ Apple Recipes
  • Close up of two air fryer apple fritters with a glaze.
    Air Fryer Apple Fritters with Apple Cider Glaze
  • Three stacked pancakes on white plate, topped with yogurt and cinnamon.
    Whole Grain Apple Spice Pancakes
Overhead view of apple pie spice on a red ceramic measuring spoon.
Previous Post
Apple Pie Spice – so easy to make!
Beautiful cocktails made with gin and tonic water and lime.
Next Post
Classic Gin and Tonic Recipe – tips to make the best!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




The maximum upload file size: 1 MB. You can upload: image. Drop files here

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, I'm Rachel! Life can be complicated, cooking shouldn't be! I believe that you can put a delicious meal on the table without stressing. It's possible, and I'm here to help. Have a seat at my table...let's chat, eat, and have fun! Read more...

Air Fryer Instant Pot 30 Minutes One Pan Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Slow Cooker Vegetarian 5 Ingredients

Trending

Cooked salmon fillet on a grey-toned plate with cooked asparagus spears. The salmon is being flaked with a fork.

Air Fryer Salmon – easy and delicious!

Pizza pasta being scooped from a pan with a wooden spoon.

Pizza Pasta – 1 pan, 20 minutes

Image of a giant bowl of spaghetti with turkey meatballs.

Baked Turkey Meatballs

Asparagus Panzanella Salad

Seasonal

Beef and vegetable stir fry in a black wok.

Beef Stir Fry With Vegetables

Hot honey chicken sheet pan dinner with honey being drizzled on.

Hot Honey Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

Sweet and sour shrimp lettuce wrap garnished with green onion.

Sweet and Sour Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

BBQ Chicken burrito bowl with avocado and sour cream.

BBQ Chicken Bowl

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window
Free Bonus!

5 Cooking Secrets to Save Time & Stress

Free email series of my best tips and recipes!

Featured On:

Back to Top
  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility
© 2023 Rachel Cooks®
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled