Apple Butter Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Apple butter is one of those quiet pantry treasures that turns an ordinary cake into something that tastes of the season itself. Stirred into the batter, it lends a deep, spiced sweetness and a moisture that keeps every slice tender for days. Topped with a swirl of tangy cream cheese frosting, this cake strikes the perfect autumn balance — comforting enough for a Sunday kitchen, lovely enough to set before company on a cool afternoon.

Building the Spiced Cake Crumb

Cream the butter and sugar until light, then fold in the apple butter so its spiced sweetness runs all through the batter. It is the apple butter that gives this cake both its flavor and its lasting tenderness, so use a generous, well-spiced one and mix just until everything comes together smoothly.

The Tangy Cream Cheese Finish

Whip the cream cheese frosting until it is silky and just holds a swirl, its gentle tang the perfect foil to the sweet, spiced cake beneath. Wait until the cake is fully cool before you frost, then swirl it on generously — a rustic, unfussy top suits this homey cake best.

Jorj Morgan

Apple Butter Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A prestigious seasonal dessert that celebrates the profound flavors of the autumn harvest. By utilizing a high-moisture apple butter reduction as a foundational ingredient and pairing it with a velvety cream cheese and walnut finish, we achieve a moist, aromatic cake designed for festive communal gatherings.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 53 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

Dry Ingredients for Cake

• 1 ½ cups pastry flour
• 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Ingredients for Cake

• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (2 sticks)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup natural cane sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups rich apple butter

For the Frosting & Finish

• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature (2 packages)
• ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature (1 stick)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk as needed for consistency
• 1 cup toasted walnuts chopped

Equipment

• 1 Heavy-duty wire cooling rack
• 1 Parchment paper roll
• 1 Professional kitchen box grater
• 1 Electric stand mixer
• 1 Precision wooden cutting board

Method

 

Prepare the Pans

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Coat two 9x9-inch cake pans with vegetable oil spray.
3. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper and coat the paper again to ensure a clean release.
4. In a small ceramic bowl, whisk together the pastry flour, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until uniform.

Developing the Batter

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream 1 cup of butter with both sugars until light and fluffy.
2. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully blended in before adding the next.
3. Alternating in batches, pour in one-third of the flour mixture followed by a portion of the apple butter.
4. Mix on low speed until just combined, continuing until all ingredients are integrated.

Bake the Cake

1. Distribute the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
2. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
3. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes.
4. Invert the cakes onto a wire rack, remove the parchment paper, and allow them to cool completely.

The Frosting & Assembly

1. In a clean mixer bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, ½ cup butter, and vanilla.
2. Whisk until smooth and creamy, adding a teaspoon of milk if necessary to reach a spreadable consistency.
3. Place the first cake layer on a serving pedestal and slather with a generous layer of frosting.
4. Top with the second cake and frost the top and sides.
5. Finish by scattering the chopped walnuts across the top of the cake.