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A fully frosted three-layer apple pie cake on a white cake stand with a slice cut out and served on a plate next to it.

Ultimate Apple Pie Cake Recipe (No Soggy Layers, Real Filling)

Spiced cake layers filled with real apple pie filling and finished with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. This homemade apple pie cake uses a professional frosting dam technique to keep every layer clean instead of soggy.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 13 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 580
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apple Pie Cake Layers
  • 3 cups cake flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
Apple Pie Filling
  • 4 cups Granny Smith apples peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp water
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 16 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 5 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt

Equipment

  • 3 8-inch round cake pans For the classic layer cake height
  • 1 KitchenAid stand mixer or hand mixer For creaming and frosting
  • 1 Piping bag with a round tip For the frosting dam
  • 1 Digital kitchen scale For accurate flour measurement
  • 1 Offset spatula For smooth frosting application
  • 1 Cake turntable For even, professional frosting

Method
 

  1. Combine the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, lemon juice, and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 10 to 12 minutes until thickened. Cool completely.
    A glass bowl filled with cooked spiced apple pie filling on a wooden countertop.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment rounds.
    Three greased and floured round cake pans lined with parchment paper rounds on a wooden countertop.
  3. Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
    A glass bowl containing a whisked mixture of dry ingredients including cake flour, baking powder, and spices on a wooden countertop.
  4. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
    A glass bowl containing a light and fluffy creamed mixture of butter and sugar on a wooden countertop.
  5. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined after each.
    A glass bowl containing a rich cake batter with an egg being mixed in on a wooden countertop.
  6. Mix in the vanilla extract.
    A glass bowl containing cake batter swirled with dark vanilla extract on a wooden countertop.
  7. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, starting and ending with flour.
    A glass bowl containing smooth spiced cake batter on a wooden countertop.
  8. Divide the batter among the three pans and bake for 26 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
    Three cake pans filled evenly with spiced cake batter on a wooden countertop in front of an open oven.
  9. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
    Three golden-brown baked cake layers cooling on a wire rack on a wooden countertop.
  10. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar gradually, then mix in cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until fluffy.
    A glass bowl filled with smooth, fluffy cinnamon cream cheese frosting on a wooden countertop next to cinnamon sticks.
  11. Pipe a thick ring of frosting around the edge of the first layer, spread the apple filling inside the ring, and repeat with the second layer before adding the third.
    A cake layer on a white cake stand piped with a ring of cinnamon cream cheese frosting and filled with spiced apple filling.
  12. Apply a thin crumb coat, refrigerate for 20 minutes, then apply the final coat of frosting.
    A fully frosted three-layer cake coated in smooth cinnamon cream cheese frosting on a white cake stand.
  13. Slice and serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
    A fully frosted three-layer apple pie cake with a slice cut out and served on a white plate next to a knife on a wooden countertop.

Notes

  • Pipe a frosting dam around each layer before adding the filling. This is the single most important step in the recipe.
  • Make sure the apple filling is thick and jam-like before using it, not thin or saucy.
  • Cool all components completely before assembling.
  • Store refrigerated up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.