Delicious Apple Dessert Cake made from a decades-old recipe.
My mom has been making this Old Fashioned Apple Dessert Cake for as long as I can remember. Each year on our birthdays, my mom would let us pick the kind of cake she would make for us, and this was always the one my sister picked. It’s that delicious.
This is a really easy recipe, and it’s quick to make. The sauce may seem like an excess of fat, but it really makes the cake stand out. Without the sauce, the cake is still good, but with the sauce the cake is amazing!
You can use any kind of apples. I used Gala apples, which caused my cake to be a bit darker in color. If you want a lighter colored cake, either peel the apples first, or use a green apple.
Old Fashioned Apple Dessert Cake

Ingredients
- 1/2 C butter, softened (1 stick)
- 2 C sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 C flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 C grated apple, (about 3 medium apples)
- 1 C chopped nuts
For the Sauce
- 1/2 C butter, (1 stick)
- 1/2 C milk or half & half
- 1 C sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla or rum flavoring
Instructions
- Spray a 9 x 13” pan. Preheat oven to 350˚.
- Mix all cake ingredients together. It’s a stiff batter.
- Spread into pan.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
For the Sauce
- Bring all ingredients to a boil while stirring.
- Serve warm over cake.
Do you have a favorite cake, or a cake you always had for your birthday?
Looking for more apple recipes check out these fabulous Baked Apple Goods?
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Adam
Wednesday 25th of November 2020
This is really great--simple but amazing. The icing really makes it stand out. I made half the cake and a quarter of the icing, though used all the rum, and it was exceptional.
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Karissa Ancell
Monday 31st of August 2015
I have never had apple cake before. We have apple pie in my family a lot but not cake.
Jamie H
Tuesday 1st of September 2015
You should try it! It has a fabulous flavor, and it's so moist and delicious!
Marsha 'Nana' Baker
Wednesday 26th of August 2015
Oh how I love apple desserts...and that sauce! YUMMMM! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Weekend Potluck. Do come back again soon.
Jamie H
Tuesday 1st of September 2015
The sauce really makes this go from a good dessert to a phenomenal one!