Cinnamon Roll Apple Cake

A moist sour cream apple cake swirled with a brown sugar, butter and cinnamon filling and finished with a simple powdered sugar glaze, like a cinnamon roll in cake form.

Recipe and video by Alyson Hurley of Baking with Aly on YouTube.

Cinnamon Roll Apple Cake by Alyson Hurley of Baking with Aly

Watch the video

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  • The cake out of the oven with its cinnamon swirlThe cake out of the oven with its cinnamon swirl
  • Alyson Hurley with the finished cakeAlyson Hurley with the finished cake
  • Prep 25 min
  • Cook 1 hr
  • Total 1 hr 25 min
  • Yield 1 (9 x 9-inch) cake

Jump to: Ingredients | Instructions | Tips | Print recipe

Alyson Hurley's Cinnamon Roll Apple Cake brings two favorites together. A tender cake made with sour cream and oil is studded with small cubes of apple, then swirled with a buttery brown sugar and cinnamon filling just like the inside of a cinnamon roll.

Once it is baked and cooled a little, a sweet powdered sugar glaze is drizzled over the top. Make the glaze with milk, or with lemon juice for a tangy finish.

Ingredients

Apple cake

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 2/3 cup oil
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature
  • 2 cups apples, cut into small cubes

Cinnamon swirl

  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Prepare. Heat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and line a 9 x 9-inch pan with parchment. Cut the apples into small cubes.
  2. Dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch and salt.
  3. Wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and oil hard for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla, then the sour cream.
  4. Batter. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet with a spatula just until a soft batter forms, then fold in the apples. Do not overmix.
  5. Swirl. Stir the brown sugar, melted butter and cinnamon together. Spread the batter in the pan, spoon the cinnamon mixture over it in dollops and swirl it through with a knife.
  6. Bake. Bake 45 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
  7. Glaze. Stir the powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk or lemon juice, adding more until it drizzles. Drizzle over the cake, let it set, then slice.

Tips

  • Room-temperature eggs and sour cream blend into a smoother batter.
  • Start checking at 45 minutes; the swirl keeps the center moist, so use the toothpick test.
  • Lemon juice in the glaze balances the sweetness of the cinnamon swirl.

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